A schoolboy in the Philippines allegedly shot dead his jealous father while he was attacking his mother for talking with her followers on TikTok.

Eightoso Dayanan Alacha, 7, reportedly fired a handgun belonging to his policeman father Lernie Alacha, 44, while the cop was having a row with his mum Irene Dayanan, 33, at their home in Sagay City, Negros Occidental province, on April 27 afternoon.

Lernie was said to have become furious after learning that Irene's male TikTok followers had been messaging her privately on the app, sending suggestive messages.

Hearing the couple's argument escalate into physical violence, Eightoso, nicknamed 'Eight', fetched his dad's 9mm Glock 17 stored in a plastic box outside the room and shot a bullet into Lernie's neck.

Lernie staggered out of the room asking for help but soon bled to death from the wound from suspected patricide.

Police Lieutenant Hannah Banquil, deputy chief of the Sagay City Police Station, said: 'Following the incident, the initial investigation revealed that Sergeant Alacha and his partner were witnessed arguing by their seven-year-old son in their bedroom after lunch.

'The couple's altercations, often stemming from jealousy, were frequently witnessed by their children.

'We cannot conclusively state the seven-year-old was at fault.'

Speaking in the video, the shaken schoolboy said: 'I did it because I saw my Papa hurting my Mama.'

Mum Irene, who was reported to be Lernie's fourth partner, told police that she had been wanting to leave Lernie because he was physically abusive towards her.

She claimed their latest argument was sparked by Lernie's jealousy over the messages she received from her social media followers.

The mum added it was the third time Eight had tried defending her from Lernie.

She said: 'The first time, my son tried to hack his father with a knife when he saw him beating me. The second time, he tried to shoot Lernie, but was too weak to grab the gun from his father who yanked it away from his hands.'

Meanwhile, Brigadier General Jack Wanky said he 'did not believe the boy was capable of shooting his father'.

He said: 'All persons inside the house should be considered as persons of interest in relation to the incident. The circumstances of the crime are still not clear.'

All residents inside the house have been subjected to paraffin tests for traces of gunshot residue, while Lernie's body underwent a post-mortem examination. The gunshot wound was confirmed as the cause of death.

Police Captain Judesses Catalogo, spokesman of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, said: 'We urge our police officers to please store their service firearms in a place out of reach of their children.'

Authorities said Eight was taken into custody by the local Women and Children's Protection Desk while the police investigation was ongoing.