Three people have been killed and eight others injured in a shooting at a high school in Banga in the southern Philippines, according to local authorities.
The shooting took place on Friday afternoon at Banga National High School. Banga Mayor Albert Palencia said the dead included the 16-year-old student identified as the gunman and two 14-year-old students.
Four of the injured students were in critical condition, Palencia said. Police were at the school investigating the incident, according to local media reports.
Palencia told Reuters that the student had spoken with friends during lunch and said they should go home because he intended to carry out a plan after the break. The mayor said the friends did not take the remarks seriously because the student was known to joke.
According to Palencia’s account, the student began shooting after lunch, striking 10 students before taking his own life. Authorities have not publicly provided further details about the weapon used or the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Emergency response and school closures
The Philippine Red Cross said it was alerted at 14:00 local time and sent an ambulance and four paramedics to provide emergency assistance at the scene.
Banga’s disaster management authorities announced the suspension of classes at all levels across the municipality following the shooting. The Department of Education said it was deeply concerned by the reported attack and was working with authorities to verify information and provide support.
The department said its immediate focus was the safety and well-being of students, teachers and other school personnel. It also urged the public to stay calm and avoid circulating unverified information while the investigation continues.
Third deadly school shooting since June
The incident is the third deadly school shooting reported in the Philippines since June. In June, three students were killed and others injured when students opened fire at a high school in the central Philippines; investigators believed that case was linked to a grievance involving bullying.
In August, a student at a Catholic junior high school in the south shot dead another student before taking his own life. The suspect had initially fired at a teacher but missed, before moving to another classroom, according to the report.
Following Friday’s shooting, South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo called on adult firearm owners to store guns responsibly and ensure minors could not access them. He said addressing the issue would require broader cooperation beyond school security personnel.
Source: BBC News
