Tacloban School Shooting
Tacloban High School Shooting Kills Three, Injures Five; Student Suspect Apprehended, Manhunt Underway
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Key Points
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Police said the apprehended suspect was a “15-year-old Grade 9 student,” while the second suspect escaped and remained the subject of an ongoing manhunt.
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The second person of interest was described as a “Child In Conflict with the Law” and identified as a resident of Barangay San Jose, the same locality where the apprehension occurred.
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Officials noted that at least one of the three fatalities was “reportedly a student,” but police had not formally confirmed students among the dead at the time of reporting.
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Social media videos showed students and teachers fleeing, with some crying; one video detail described pupils carrying the wounded female classmate away from danger.
A shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on Monday morning killed three students and wounded five others, according to Philippine Police. The attack began around 9 a.m. while classes were in session, sending hundreds of students and teachers fleeing in panic.
Police apprehended a 15-year-old Grade 9 student at the scene. A second suspect, also a minor, was later caught in a "hot pursuit" operation in Barangay San Jose, Manila Bulletin reported. A firearm was recovered during that arrest.
Bullying Cited as Motive Behind Campus Attack
Tacloban City Police Chief Col. Noelito Getigan said the shooting stemmed from "alleged bullying suffered by the suspects," according to Manila Bulletin. The two suspects are both minors and residents of Barangay San Jose — the same neighborhood where the school is located.
PRO-8 Director Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy urged calm after the arrest. "All necessary measures are being undertaken to maintain peace and security in the area," he said, per Manila Standard. He added that police remain deployed to protect the community.
Chaotic Scenes as Students Fled the Gunfire
Videos spread quickly on social media showing students crying and running off campus. One clip showed classmates carrying a wounded female student to a nearby vehicle, Philstar reported. The footage captured the terror inside the school as the shots rang out.
Emergency teams rushed eight gunshot victims to local hospitals. Three were pronounced dead on arrival, GMA Network reported. Classes were immediately suspended at San Jose National High School and two neighboring schools, affecting more than 3,000 students.
Juvenile Law Shapes How Suspects Will Be Handled
Both suspects are classified as "Children in Conflict with the Law" under Philippine Republic Act No. 9344. That law requires a "discernment procedure" — a legal test to determine if the suspect understood what he was doing. It focuses on rehabilitation, not just punishment.
South China Morning Post noted that this legal framework limits the punitive options available to courts. Critics argue it leaves gaps when minors commit serious violence. The 15-year-old primary suspect faces this evaluation before any formal charges can proceed.
Philippines Faces Mounting Pressure on School Safety
This is not the first school shooting to shock the Philippines in recent months. In October 2025, a teacher was shot inside a classroom in Matalom, Leyte. In August 2025, a Grade 10 student opened fire in Nueva Ecija, per Inquirer. Each incident prompted calls for tighter campus security that critics say were never fully enforced.
A 2022 OECD report found that 53% of boys and 43% of girls in the Philippines reported being bullying victims — more than double the global average, according to Save the Children. DepEd is now expected to mandate metal detector checks and bag inspections across Eastern Visayas schools in response to Monday's attack.
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