Manila. Three dead. A school shooting in the Philippines. The motive? A grudge over bullying. The violence is spiraling. This is not a drill.
Details are emerging from a school in the southern Philippines. A student. Armed. He targeted those he blamed for his torment. The result: two classmates dead, one teacher dead. The shooter is in custody. The country is in shock.
This is the latest in a series of violent incidents. The Philippines has a gun problem. It also has a bullying problem. The combination is deadly. President Marcos has called for calm. But the damage is done. Families are grieving. Questions are being asked.
The opposition is pouncing. They say the government has failed to protect children. They point to lax gun laws. They point to a culture of impunity. The education secretary is under pressure. Resignation calls are growing loud.
But this is not just a policy failure. It is a symptom of a deeper malaise. Bullying is rife in Philippine schools. The government has tried anti-bullying laws. They have not worked. The problem is cultural. It is about hierarchy. It is about shame. It is about violence as a solution.
The shooter's motive is clear. He was bullied. He snapped. He brought a gun to school. He killed. The cycle continues. The next shooting is a matter of time.
Westminster should watch this. The Philippines is a democracy. It has many of the same problems as the West. The same debates about guns, about mental health, about school safety. The same failures. The same tragedies.
For now, there are three more dead. Three families destroyed. A nation in mourning. The game of politics will continue. But some things are more important than that game. This is one of them.
