Two students open fire at Philippine high school, killing three and wounding seven

The attack

Two male students, aged 14 and 15, entered the government-run school in Tacloban, Leyte province, around 9:00 a.m. local time (01:00 GMT) and fired randomly into classrooms. Three students died and seven were wounded, most of them female, regional police chief Brig Gen Jason Capoy told reporters. Over 40 empty shells were recovered from the scene.

“I saw a shooter walking towards our area, so I told the students to be calm and hide under their desks, and I locked the door... They were crying and in panic.”

The suspects, who are close friends with no criminal records, barged into two rooms. After the first burst of gunfire, students fled and the attackers chased some victims into a second room, Capoy said. One suspect was arrested at the school; the second fled to a nearby house and was detained after residents alerted police.

Weapons traced to a policewoman and a security firm

A Glock 9mm pistol used in the shooting was registered to a policewoman stationed in the Eastern Visayas region, national police spokesman Allen Rae Co said at a briefing. She was taken into custody and is under investigation. The second weapon, a.38 calibre revolver, was registered to a security agency in Cebu City, over 280 km west of Tacloban. No immediate link between the policewoman and the suspects has been established.

“The Glock 9mm pistol belongs — or was assigned — to a policewoman stationed in the Eastern Visayas region.”

Police said the suspects managed to bring the guns onto campus because only one guard was on duty at multiple entrances and exits.

Bullying cited as possible motive

In initial questioning, the two suspects told investigators they were victims of bullying at the school, according to Capoy. Police lieutenant Evalyn Diaz said authorities had heard “bullying was the motive,” but the minors were still being interrogated in the presence of their parents. A 2022 OECD report found that over half of Filipino boys and 43 percent of girls reported being bullied at least a few times a month, more than double the average across OECD countries.

“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.”

Official reactions

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr ordered a thorough investigation and directed law enforcement to boost security in all schools, workplaces and public areas. Communications under-secretary Claire Castro said the president was saddened by the incident. The Department of Education called it a “high-alert situation,” condemned the violence, and extended condolences to the victims’ families. Authorities urged the public not to spread unverified information.

A rare event

School shootings are unusual in the Philippines. The last comparable incident occurred in July 2022, when a gunman opened fire at a law school graduation ceremony at Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, killing three people including former Lamitan City mayor Rose Furigay.