Three people have been killed and several others wounded in a school shooting in the Philippines. The attack occurred at a high school in the city of Zamboanga on Tuesday morning local time, when a lone gunman opened fire in a crowded classroom. Police said the suspect, a former student believed to have been expelled months earlier, targeted a teacher and two classmates whom he blamed for bullying him. The suspect was later shot dead by responding officers. Two other students were critically injured and are receiving medical treatment.
The motives behind the assault appear to centre on a long-standing grievance over perceived harassment and social exclusion. Local authorities confirmed that the assailant had been involved in disciplinary proceedings and had made threats against those he believed were responsible for his expulsion. The incident marks the latest in a series of school shootings in the Philippines, a country with strict gun laws but where illegal firearms remain widely available.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed condolences to the families of the victims and called for a review of school safety protocols. In a statement, he said: “This tragedy is a stark reminder of the need to address mental health and conflict resolution in our educational system.” Education officials announced the establishment of counselling services for students and staff affected by the attack.
The shooting has reignited debate over the prevalence of bullying in Philippine schools and the ease with which disaffected individuals can access weapons. Human rights groups have urged the government to strengthen anti-bullying laws and implement stricter controls on firearms. The national police have launched an investigation into how the suspect obtained the handgun used in the attack.
