Rare High School Shooting Shocks Philippines After Three Students Are Killed, 13 Left Wounded

Three students have been killed and 13 others injured after a rare high school shooting in the Philippines, following an attack at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City on Monday morning.

Two teenage students, aged 14 and 15, have been arrested in connection with the incident, which unfolded at around 9:00 a.m. Philippine time on 22 June. The suspects were later identified as Nash and Rod and are both believed to have no prior criminal record.

The suspects were aged 14 and 15 respectively and were known only as Nash and Rod. One of the suspects was arrested on the school premises. The other was able to flee, although he was later apprehended after hiding in a nearby house. Both suspects have no criminal records.

It was also reported that most of the victims from the incident were female students. Authorities reportedly collected at least 40 shell casings from the attack, according to the Associated Press.

According to Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy, an investigation into the school shooting incident is underway to determine the motive behind it. Based on initial questioning of the suspects, both claimed that they were victims of bullying at the school.

The two students were reportedly Grade 9 and Grade 10 students and were said to be close friends.

Recovered from the suspects were a 9mm pistol, a firearm that reportedly belonged to one suspect's aunt. The other suspect had a .38 revolver, a firearm that was reportedly registered to a security agency in Cebu, according to PNP public information chief Col. Allen Rae Co.

Capoy added in the same report that the two suspects were able to sneak the guns into the school premises, since there was only one guard on duty covering multiple entrances and exits.

'The suspects barged into two rooms because after the shooting in the first, the children scampered and the suspects apparently ran after some victims into another room,' Capoy said to media.

Students Feared for Their Lives

Some classes were ongoing before the shooting incident happened. A social studies teacher, Irvin Nogar, shared what transpired as he was in the middle of his class.

'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 52-year-old teacher said in an ABS-CBN News report.

Some videos shared when the shooting happened were shared by the news outlet. The clip showed students panicking and screaming while hiding in their classrooms to the sound of gunfire.

Policewoman Under Investigation

The 9mm pistol was traced to belong to a policewoman believed to be one of the suspect's aunts, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP). Her identity has yet to be revealed.

'The subject policewoman is now under investigation and placed under the custody of the regional police office,' Co said during a press briefing on Monday afternoon in a report by Inquirer News.

Regardless, the mother of one of the victims, Jennelyn Badoria, believes that whoever gave the two teenagers access to the firearms should be held accountable. Badoria is the mother of one 15-year-old slain student.

'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,' Badoria said in an interview.

The two suspects are expected to be turned over to government welfare officers after the investigation. However, the 14-year-old suspect would be exempt from criminal charges under a 2006 Philippine law (Republic Act No. 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act).

This refers to Section 6 of that Act, which states that a child 15 years of age or under at the time of the commission of the offence shall be exempt from criminal liability.