2 suspects in custody after Philippines school shooting kills 3

Pressure is mounting on Philippine authorities and school leaders to explain how two armed suspects were able to turn a government-run campus into a crime scene. Gunfire at San Jose National High School in Tacloban city killed three students and wounded five others, jolting families in Leyte province and sending police reinforcements to secure a campus with more than 1,500 students.

Police said two male suspects opened fire at about 9 a.m. on June 22 and were taken into custody after the attack. One suspect was arrested at the scene and the other later surrendered, authorities said. One of the suspects was reportedly a student at the school and a Grade 9 minor. Both were armed with pistols.

Investigators were still trying to determine what sparked the shooting. In the meantime, Tacloban City Police urged the public to stay calm, avoid sharing unverified information and cooperate with investigators as they worked the case. The wounded were taken to medical facilities for treatment, and additional police forces were deployed around the school.

The Department of Education said it was coordinating with local school officials and police to secure the campus and provide medical assistance and psychosocial support for affected learners and personnel. The response now extends beyond the crime scene itself, with educators and health workers facing the longer aftermath of trauma among students who witnessed or feared the shooting.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a thorough investigation and directed authorities to ensure safety and security in schools. That directive reflects how unusual this kind of violence remains in the Philippines, where school shootings are sporadic and each case prompts scrutiny over campus security, youth access to weapons and the systems meant to intervene before violence escalates.

The Tacloban attack is being weighed against the July 2022 shooting at Ateneo de Manila University in Quezon City, which killed three people, including former Lamitan City mayor Rose Furigay. That case was later described as an assassination driven by personal motives, underscoring how rare but devastating such attacks have been when they do erupt.

For families around Barangay San Jose and beyond, the central questions now are simple and urgent: how the suspects got the pistols, what warning signs were missed and what changes will be made to keep students safe when classes resume.