Three dead in Philippines high school shooting over bullying ‘grudge’

Three students were killed and several others injured when two teenage classmates opened fire at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Philippines, in an attack investigators say was motivated by a grudge over bullying.

The shooting, which occurred on June 22, 2026, stunned a nation where school-based gun violence is exceptionally rare. Police reported that the suspects, aged 14 and 15, arrived at the classroom and began firing without warning. About 40 spent shell casings were recovered from the scene.

Authorities believe the younger suspect used a .38 revolver, while the older suspect wielded a 9mm pistol that belonged to a policewoman who is a relative of one of the boys. That officer has been taken into custody.

Colonel Allen Rae Co, a national police spokesperson, said investigators had observed “red flags” in the teenagers’ behaviour prior to the attack, including violent videos posted to social media showing one of the youths handling a firearm. “If anybody was able to monitor these red flags, this could have been prevented,” Co told reporters.

The mother of a slain 15‑year‑old student urged accountability for the gun owners, telling Agence France‑Press that the weapons would never have reached the children’s hands had they been properly secured.

While overall gun violence in the Philippines has been declining — police recorded nearly 5,000 incidents nationwide in 2024 — school shootings remain exceedingly uncommon. This incident marks the first such tragedy in recent memory for Tacloban, a city of 250,000 on Leyte Island that suffered devastating losses during Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

Education officials announced an immediate review of school security protocols, bullying prevention programmes, and student behavioural monitoring systems. The Ministry of Education expressed “deep concern” and called for prayers for the victims’ families.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s spokesperson said the president was “saddened by what happened,” noting that parents of the victims would naturally experience grief and fear.

The shooting reignites debates about firearm accessibility and the need for early intervention when youths display warning signs. Experts stress that secure gun storage and vigilant reporting of troubling behaviour are critical components of prevention.

In the wake of the tragedy, grief counsellors have been deployed to the school to support traumatized students and teachers. Many parents have kept their children home, fearful of further violence, while others have gathered outside the school gates to hold impromptu vigils.

Local officials have also begun reviewing the circumstances that allowed the teenagers to access firearms, particularly the police-issued pistol. Questions are being raised about internal controls within law enforcement agencies and whether relatives of officers should be permitted to keep service weapons at home.

Psychologists note that bullying, when left unaddressed, can escalate to extreme violence, especially when combined with easy access to lethal weapons. They advocate for comprehensive anti‑bullying programmes that include peer support, mental health counselling, and clear consequences for perpetrators.

As the community mourns, the focus turns to healing and ensuring that such a loss of young life never recurs in Philippine classrooms. The incident serves as a stark reminder that vigilance, compassion and responsible firearm ownership are essential to safeguarding schools everywhere.