3 Students Killed, 7 Injured As Teenagers Open Fire In Philippine School

Three students have been confirmed dead while seven others sustained injuries after two teenage boys carried out a shooting inside a high school in central Philippines.

The incident occurred at San Jose National High School in Tacloban, located on the island of Leyte.

According to authorities, the suspects, aged 14 and 15, allegedly gained access to the school premises and proceeded into a classroom armed with a .38 revolver and a 9mm pistol, where they opened fire without warning.

Police said one of the suspects was apprehended shortly after the attack, while the second later turned himself in. Investigations indicate the shooting may be connected to a bullying dispute.

Beyond the fatalities, three students were directly hit by gunfire, while four others sustained injuries as they attempted to flee the scene in panic.

A spokesperson for the Philippine National Police, Colonel Allen Rae Co, said about 40 spent shell casings were recovered from the location, adding that investigations are ongoing.

Authorities also disclosed that violent footage circulating online showed one of the suspects handling a firearm, raising concerns about possible missed warning signs.

“So this is very obviously red flags… if anyone had been able to monitor these, this could have been prevented,” Co said, noting that it was too early to assign blame.

A grieving mother of one of the victims urged stricter control of firearms at home, insisting that those responsible for allowing access to the weapons should be held accountable.

“I’m asking that the gun owners be charged, because the guns wouldn’t have ended up in the children’s hands if it weren’t for them,” Jennelyn Badoria said in an interview outside the school.

Local authorities noted that this is the first recorded school shooting incident in recent years in Tacloban, a city with an estimated population of about 250,000 people.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., through his spokesperson, expressed sorrow over the tragedy, describing it as “deeply saddening.”

The Ministry of Education said it would review school safety protocols, strengthen anti-bullying measures, and improve student monitoring systems to enhance security in schools.

Officials have also called on gun owners to properly secure firearms, as investigations continue into how the weapons ended up in the possession of the teenagers.