MANILA, June 22 — Three teenage students were killed and seven others injured after two armed minors opened fire at a high school in the central Philippines on Monday morning, authorities said. Two suspects have been apprehended.
The shooting occurred at about 9 a.m. local time at the government-run San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, located in Leyte province, according to the Philippine News Agency.
The Tacloban City Police Office said classes were underway when the suspects entered the campus and began shooting.
A Grade 9 student was apprehended shortly after the incident. A second suspect, also a Grade 9 student, was arrested several hours later with assistance from residents of a nearby community, the police office said.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a thorough investigation into the shooting, while authorities have tightened security measures and appealed for calm as the investigation continues.
The Department of Education (DepEd) expressed grave concern over the incident and said it is coordinating with authorities to support those affected.
“We are working hand in hand with relevant government agencies to deploy critical medical assistance and appropriate psychosocial interventions for the affected learners and personnel,” the department said in a statement.
According to The Jakarta Post, President Marcos was “saddened by what happened,” according to presidential spokesperson Claire Castro.
“Anyone, especially the parents of the victims, would feel grief and fear,” Castro told reporters, adding that authorities are implementing measures to strengthen safety in public spaces, including schools.
The publication noted that in 2022, three people, including a former city mayor, were killed in a shooting before a graduation ceremony at Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippine capital. Investigators later determined that the attack was an assassination motivated by personal reasons.
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