Two teenage boys opened fire inside San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on June 22, 2026, killing three students and wounding at least 15 others in an attack that authorities say was planned in advance.
One student remained in critical condition after sustaining severe injuries during the attack.
“His condition is under strict observation, but we were told he is fighting for his life,” Tacloban police spokeswoman Evalyn Diaz told Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Regional police chief Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy disclosed on June 23 that the two suspects had been plotting the shooting since as early as April or May. “Based on our information, as early as May 1, if I’m not mistaken,” Capoy told reporters. The suspects — a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old who both attended the government-run high school — were close friends and said during initial questioning that they were bullied at school, according to Capoy, though he declined to provide further details about those allegations. Both had no prior criminal record.
The mid-morning assault sent hundreds of terrified students fleeing the campus, which serves more than 1,500 students.
Two Classrooms Targeted as Students Fled
The gunmen forced their way into two separate classrooms, chasing down fleeing students who had scattered after the initial gunfire erupted in the first room. Police recovered at least 40 shell casings from the scene. Most of those killed and wounded were female students.
Footage circulating online showed students crouched beneath desks inside a locked classroom, sobbing and screaming as gunshots echoed nearby. Some were heard calling their mothers. Other video captured visibly shaken students streaming out of the campus gates, many clinging to one another as they ran.
Security Lapse Enabled Weapons Smuggling
The teenage gunmen smuggled two weapons onto campus by exploiting a critical security gap. Capoy said only a single guard was posted across multiple entrances and exits, allowing the students to enter undetected. One suspect brought a 9 mm pistol taken from an aunt who works as a police officer. That aunt has since been relieved of duty, placed under restrictive custody, and faces both criminal and administrative charges for failing to secure her service weapon. The second suspect carried a .38 caliber revolver.
One suspect was captured on school grounds immediately after the shooting. The other escaped campus and hid in a nearby residence, where authorities tracked him down after residents reported his location.
Age Complicates Criminal Prosecution
The suspects’ ages create complex legal challenges. Under a 2006 Philippine law, the minimum age for criminal liability is 15, meaning the 14-year-old cannot be prosecuted criminally under any circumstances. The 15-year-old may face criminal charges, but only if authorities can prove the suspect clearly understood the crime and its consequences when it was committed. Both have been transferred to the custody of the Tacloban City Social Welfare and Development Office in compliance with the country’s juvenile justice law.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a comprehensive investigation and directed law enforcement agencies to strengthen security measures at schools, workplaces, and other public spaces nationwide. Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said the president was deeply affected by the news, noting that “anybody, especially the parents of the victims, will feel sad and terrified.” The national police urged the public to remain calm and cooperate with ongoing investigations.
Gun Violence Common, School Shootings Rare
Gun violence involving unlicensed firearms remains a persistent problem in the Philippines, but deadly school shootings are comparatively uncommon. The last major incident occurred in 2022, when a gunman attacked an upscale Manila-area university ahead of a graduation ceremony, killing a former Philippine city mayor and two other people.
The June 22 attack in Tacloban City has sparked urgent questions about campus security, firearm accessibility, and how schools identify and respond to bullied students before violence occurs. Investigators have not yet confirmed whether any formal bullying complaints were filed at San Jose National High School prior to the shooting.
