Gun taken from police officer aunt used in deadly Philippines school shooting

Two students armed with handguns opened fire inside a high school in the central Philippines on Monday, killing three classmates and injuring at least 20 others, police said.

The shooting happened mid-morning at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City. The two suspects, aged 14 and 15, were arrested. Both were students at the school, as were the victims.

Fifteen of the injured suffered gunshot wounds, including one student who was shot in the head and remained in hospital. The others were hurt in the rush to escape, with some jumping from classroom windows as panic spread across the campus.

Police are investigating what triggered the attack at the government-run school, which has more than 1,500 students. During initial questioning, the two boys — who are close friends — claimed they had been bullied, although investigators have yet to establish whether that was the motive.

Neither suspect had a criminal record.

One of the teenagers used a 9mm pistol that police said belonged to his aunt, a police officer who is now under investigation. The second suspect was armed with a .38-calibre revolver.

Authorities said the weapons were brought onto the campus because only one security guard was on duty to monitor several 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," regional police chief Brig. Gen. Jason Capoy told reporters.

Most of those killed and injured were female students, he said. Investigators recovered at least 40 spent shell casings from the scene.

Videos circulating on social media captured the chaos inside the school. In one clip, students hid beneath desks inside a locked classroom as gunshots echoed outside. Cries and screams could be heard, with some students calling their mothers. Other footage showed terrified students fleeing the campus, many embracing one another as they ran to safety.

One suspect was arrested at the school shortly after the attack. The second fled and hid inside a nearby house before residents alerted police, leading to his arrest.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a thorough investigation and directed law enforcement agencies to tighten security at schools, workplaces and other public spaces.

"The president was saddened by this incident. Anybody, especially the parents of the victims, will feel sad and terrified," Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said.

The two suspects will be placed in the custody of government welfare authorities after the investigation because they are minors.

Under Philippine law, children aged 14 and below are exempt from criminal prosecution. A 15-year-old may be held criminally liable only if investigators determine the suspect understood the nature of the crime and its consequences.

Police urged the public to remain calm and appealed for anyone with information to assist the ongoing investigation.