Two students armed with handguns opened fire at a high school in the central Philippines on Monday, killing three fellow students and wounding at least 20 others, police reported.
The suspects, aged 14 and 15, were arrested following the mid-morning shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City. Both the suspects and the victims were students at the government-run school, which has more than 1,500 students, according to regional police chief Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy.
Police stated that 15 of the 20 injuries were caused by gunshots. The remaining injuries occurred as students stumbled and jumped from windows while trying to escape. The investigation into the cause of the shooting is ongoing.
Initial questioning indicated the suspects, who are close friends, claimed they were bullied at school, Capoy said. One suspect obtained a 9mm pistol from an aunt, a police officer, who is now under investigation. The other suspect used a .38 caliber revolver. Authorities noted that the suspects were able to bring the firearms onto campus due to only one guard being on duty at multiple entrances and exits.
"The suspects barged into two rooms because after the shooting in the first, the children scampered and the suspects apparently ran after some victims into another room," Capoy told reporters. Most of the casualties were female students.
Police recovered at least 40 shell casings from the scene. Videos posted online captured the sounds of screaming and weeping from students hiding under desks as gunshots were heard, with some students calling their mothers. Other videos showed terrified students fleeing the campus.
One suspect was apprehended at the school, while the second fled and was later found hiding in a nearby house by police alerted by residents. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a thorough investigation and directed law enforcement to enhance security measures in schools, workplaces, and public areas.
Under a 2006 Philippine law, the 14-year-old suspect would be exempt from criminal prosecution as the minimum age for criminal liability is 15, provided authorities do not determine the suspect was fully aware of the crime and its consequences. The suspects are to be turned over to government welfare officers after the investigation.
Crimes involving firearms are common in the Philippines, often linked to the proliferation of unlicensed weapons, but school shootings are considered rare. In 2022, a shooting at an upscale university in the Manila metropolitan area ahead of a graduation ceremony resulted in three deaths.