A shooting at a school in the southern Philippines has left three people dead, local authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The incident, which took place in the city of Marawi on Mindanao island, marks the latest in a series of violent attacks targeting educational institutions globally. The British government has issued a statement condemning the attack and expressing concern over what it described as a troubling pattern of escalating violence in civilian spaces.
According to the Philippine National Police, a lone gunman opened fire inside a classroom at a public high school before turning the weapon on himself. Two students and a teacher were killed; six others were wounded, three critically. The attacker, identified as a 32-year-old former student with a history of mental health issues, was not previously known to authorities.
The motive remains unclear, though police officials noted that the suspect had been expelled from the school last year. The attack comes amid a broader rise in school shootings in the Philippines, where lax gun laws and a thriving black market for firearms have long been a concern for advocacy groups.
In London, a spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office issued a statement saying: "The United Kingdom condemns this senseless act of violence. We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and to the people of the Philippines. The rising frequency of attacks on schools is a global trend that demands urgent international attention."
The statement stopped short of offering direct assistance but urged the Philippine government to strengthen its security protocols and mental health support systems. The UK has previously provided counter-terrorism training to Philippine security forces as part of the ongoing counter-insurgency effort in Mindanao, but officials stressed that this incident did not appear to be linked to militant groups.
The attack has reignited debate in Manila over proposed legislation to tighten gun control, a measure that has stalled in Congress for years due to opposition from firearms lobbyists and rural lawmakers. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. described the shooting as a "tragic wake-up call" but did not specify new policy actions.
International analysts note that school shootings remain rare in Southeast Asia compared to the United States, but the region has seen an uptick in recent years. A study by the University of the Philippines found that the number of attacks on schools in the country has doubled since 2019, with many linked to personal grievances rather than political ideology.
The UK’s condemnation reflects a broader diplomatic effort to frame school shootings as a global security issue rather than a national one. The government has pledged to raise the matter at the next UN General Assembly session, where it plans to propose a resolution calling for international standards on school security.
For now, Marawi remains under a heightened police presence. Schools in the city have been closed indefinitely as officials conduct safety assessments. The attack has shaken a community still recovering from a five-month siege by Islamist militants in 2017 that left more than 1,000 dead.
As the investigation continues, the question of what can be done to prevent such tragedies looms large. In a statement shared with local media, a survivor of the shooting, who asked not to be named, said: "We thought the war was over. Now we are afraid to go to school." The sentiment echoes a concern voiced increasingly by educators and parents across the country: that no institution, however sacred, is immune to the contagion of violence.