TACLOBAN CITY, Philippines — A school shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City left three students dead and about 20 others injured on June 22, authorities said, in one of the deadliest attacks on a Philippine school in recent years. Police said two students, aged 14 and 15, were taken into custody following the incident.
The shooting occurred during class hours on Monday morning, according to the Philippine National Police. Investigators said the two suspects, who were enrolled at the school, entered classrooms and opened fire on fellow students. Most of the victims were minors, and authorities have withheld their identities in accordance with Philippine law.
Police initially reported lower injury figures but said on Tuesday that the number of wounded had risen to 20. Fifteen of those injured suffered gunshot wounds, while others were hurt while attempting to flee the attack, according to Police Regional Office 8.
Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy, regional police director, said both suspects were in custody and would be processed under child-protection and juvenile justice procedures. One suspect was apprehended on campus shortly after the shooting, while the second was later located in a nearby community and turned over to authorities.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a full investigation and called for stronger security measures in schools and other public spaces, according to government officials. The Department of Education said it was providing medical assistance and psychosocial support to students, teachers and families affected by the attack.
Authorities are also investigating how the suspects obtained the firearms used in the shooting. Police said one weapon was a police-issued pistol linked to a relative of one suspect, while another firearm was traced to a private security agency. Officials said separate inquiries into firearm accountability were underway.
School shootings are rare in the Philippines, where gun ownership is regulated and campus gun violence is uncommon. The attack has prompted a review of school safety procedures and emergency-response protocols nationwide, officials said.
“This is a wake-up call for all of us to strengthen protection for our children,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said in remarks reported by local media.
As of Wednesday, the injured students continued to receive treatment, while police and education officials said investigations into the motive, planning and circumstances surrounding the attack remained ongoing. Details of the motive remain under investigation.
