Two high school students who shot up their school in Tacloban City were placed under the custody of the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), a police public information officer said on Thursday.

In a television interview on Thursday, Eastern Visayas regional office public information office chief Lt. Col. Analiza Armeza said the two suspects will undergo appropriate intervention program.

"They were referred to RRCY for temporary custody... they are at RRCY (Regional Rehabilitation Center for Youth) under CSWD," she said.

"The same for the 14-year-old CICL (children in conflict with the law), he was turned over to the CSWDO, he will be undergoing an intervention program... it will be the social worker who will formulate the appropriate intervention program for him, considering that he is 14-year-old and he committed a heinous crime, he will be under a center base intervention program," she added.

However, Armeza said unlike the 14-year-old suspect, the 15-year-old accused was charged with three counts of murder, frustrated murder and serious physical injuries. Under the law, the minimum age of criminal liability is 15 years old.

Following the incident, Armeza said police placed all schools in Tacloban City under heightened security measures with at least two police personnel deployed at each institution.

A possible attack on a school in Leyte was stopped Wednesday evening, Interior and Local Government Jonic Remilla said earlier Thursday.

Robina Asido/PHS