Three students dead in Tacloban high‑school shooting over bullying grudge

Mon Jun 22 2026 17:42:58 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A 15‑year‑old and a 14‑year‑old opened fire at San Jose National High School, killing three classmates and injuring several others in a tragic act linked to bullying.

Police have arrested a 14‑year‑old and detained a 15‑year‑old after a shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban city, killing three students and wounding others. The teens used a .38 revolver and a 9mm pistol belonging to a policewoman relative. Investigators say the motive was a grudge over bullying, with social‑media videos providing evidence. Authorities argue red flags were missed, calling for stricter school‑security reviews and parental firearm responsibility. The incident marks the first school shooting in Tacloban in recent memory, prompting national‑level intervention and calls for policy change.

In Tacloban city, central Philippines, two teenage students opened fire at San Jose National High School, killing three classmates and wounding several others. Police arrested a 14‑year‑old suspect immediately after the incident and detained a 15‑year‑old one a short time later.

The shooters were armed with a .38 revolver and a 9‑mm pistol that belonged to a policewoman who is related to one of the teens. A total of about 40 empty shells were recovered from the scene, and the police said three people were hit by bullets while an additional four sustained injuries while panicking.

Investigators say the motive was a “grudge” stemming from bullying at the school. A video posted by one of the teens on social media shows him firing a gun, which has been used as evidence in the case. Police spokesperson Colonel Allen Rae Co warned that warning signs had been overlooked and that the shooting could have been prevented if the signs had been noted.

The mother of one of the slain students demanded that gun owners be held accountable, telling AFP that the firearms had reached the children only because the owners failed to secure them. Police and education officials said they would review school security protocols, bullying policies, and student‑behaviour monitoring systems.

The incident is the first school shooting in Tacloban in recent memory, according to Evalyn Diaz of the city police. The city has a population of around 250,000 people and lies on Leyte island in the Visayas. It was severely affected by Super Typhoon Haiyan in 2013, which killed 6,000 people.

President Ferdinand Marcos’s spokeswoman expressed sadness over the tragedy, while Secretary of Education Claire Castro urged “prayer for the safety, healing and recovery of those affected.” The national government has pledged to scrutinise the situation and improved gun‑owner responsibility measures.

Key facts:

Three students killed, four injured.

Suspects: 14‑year‑old (arrested) and 15‑year‑old (detained).

Weapons: .38 revolver and 9mm pistol; pistol owned by a policewoman relative.

Motivation identified as bullying grievance.

Police to review school security and bullying policies.

Gun violence in the Philippines is relatively common, but school shootings remain rare. In 2024, the Philippine National Police recorded nearly 5,000 gun‑violence cases nationwide, a decline in recent years.