Arabic version: إطلاق نار مأساوي في مدرسة بالفلبين يسفر عن مقتل ثلاثة أشخاص

Three students have been killed and more injured after two of their peers opened fire at a high school in Tacloban City, Philippines. The incident occurred when the suspects, aged 14 and 15, reportedly motivated by a grudge stemming from bullying, opened fire. According to BBC News, the suspects were armed with a .38 revolver and a 9mm pistol, the latter belonging to a policewoman relative of one of the suspects, who is now in custody.

The shooting took place at San Jose National High School, where the two suspects entered a classroom and began firing without warning. Police spokesperson Colonel Allen Rae Co stated that initial investigations suggest the motive was related to school bullying, although it remains unclear if the intended targets were present in the classroom at the time.

In total, three students were killed, including a 15-year-old, while seven others sustained injuries—three from gunfire and four from panic during the chaos. Investigators have noted that “red flags” regarding the suspects’ behavior had been missed, which could have prevented the tragedy.

The mother of one of the deceased students called for accountability from gun owners, emphasizing that the availability of firearms contributed to the incident. Local authorities have urged parents to be more responsible with their firearms and to ensure they are securely stored away from children.

In response to the shooting, President Ferdinand Marcos’s administration expressed sorrow over the event, while the education ministry announced plans to review school security measures and policies related to bullying and student behavior monitoring. This incident marks the first school shooting in Tacloban City in recent memory, highlighting ongoing concerns about gun violence in the Philippines, despite a reported decline in such cases in recent years.