The alleged shooters, aged 15 and 14, had fired "randomly" inside San Jose National High School, PLt. Evalyn Diaz told AFP of the violence that sent terrified students running for cover.
Irvin Nogar, a 52-year-old social studies teacher, told AFP he was in the middle of a class at the school in Leyte province's Tacloban City when he heard several "loud gun shots".
"I saw a shooter walking towards our area, so I told the students to be calm and hide under their desks and I locked the door... they were crying and in panic."
The fatalities were confirmed to be students.
Police said the 2 suspects in the shooting have been arrested, including a Grade 9 student from the same school.
Jennelyn Badoria, mother of a slain 15-year-old student, told AFP she believed whoever had given the shooters access to guns must be held accountable.
"I'm asking that the gun owners be charged, because the guns wouldn't have ended up in the children’s hands if it weren't for them," she said in an interview outside the school.
Diaz, the police lieutenant, said they had heard "bullying was the motive", but that the two alleged shooters were still being interrogated.
"We're still getting the guns, checking where they got those, and how they were able to bring that inside the school," she said.
"They are still in the police station undergoing questioning in the presence of their parents because they are minors."
Police investigators walk in front of the school entrance after a shooting incident at a high school compound in Tacloban City, Leyte province on June 22, 2026. Noel Sianosa, AFP
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident, Malacanang said.
“Kinakalungkot ng Pangulo ang pangyayari. Kahit sino pa man lalo na ang mga magulang ng mga nabiktima ay makakaramdam ang lungkot at takot,” Palace Press Officer Claire Castro said.
The Department of Education classified the shooting as a “high-alert situation” and said its personnel were “coordinating closely with school authorities and law enforcement.”
“To address the immediate emotional toll of this tragedy, the Department is working hand-in-hand with relevant government agencies to deploy critical medical assistance and appropriate psychosocial interventions for the affected learners and personnel,” the agency said.
“We strongly condemn this act of violence and extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims, as well as our earnest prayers for the swift recovery of those who were injured. The Central Office is now mobilizing assistance to our affected learners.”
DepEd urged the public “to respect the privacy and dignity of all children involved and to allow the proper authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial inquiry."
“The safety, well-being, and mental health of our learners and personnel remain among the Department’s highest and most uncompromisable priorities. We remain committed to ensuring that our schools are secure, supportive environments for all,” it said.
The Department of Justice said officials of the Tacloban City Police Office and the Office of the City Prosecutor of Tacloban are in coordination with each other on the on-going investigation on the shooting incident in San Jose National High School.
The DOJ said in a statement that authorities are currently gathering all material details, including identities of the victims and the persons allegedly involved as well as the circumstances and possible motive behind the incident.
"The Department will allow law enforcement authorities and the prosecutors concerned to complete their investigation, subject to all applicable safeguards under the law, especially those involving children in conflict with the law," the DOJ said.
The DOJ added it is in coordination with the Office of the Regional Prosecutor of Region VIII to determine the facts on the shooting incident.
In a statement, the Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) said it strongly condemns the shooting incident.
"At present, law enforcement authorities are conducting an extensive investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, identify all persons involved, and establish the motive behind this unfortunate event. Appropriate police operations are likewise being undertaken to are held accountable under the full force of the law," the police said.
Classes in Tacloban's San Jose Central School and Manlurip Elementary School have been suspended.
While school shootings are a rarity in the Philippines, targeted gun violence is a fixture of provincial politics.
In 2022, three people, including a former city mayor, were killed in a shooting incident before a graduation ceremony at Ateneo de Manila University. It was later determined to have been an assassination driven by "personal motives"
Legal gun ownership is tightly regulated in the country, but a large black market exists for firearms. -- with a report from Adrian Ayalin, ABS-CBN News
Archive
