A shooting at a school in the Philippines has left three people dead, with police attributing the attack to a long-standing grudge over bullying. The incident occurred on Tuesday morning at a public high school in the province of Batangas, south of Manila. According to local authorities, a lone gunman, identified as a former student in his 20s, opened fire in a classroom before turning the weapon on himself.
The victims include two students, aged 16 and 17, and a teacher who attempted to intervene. Police reports indicate the suspect had been a target of sustained bullying during his time at the school, which he left several years ago. Investigators recovered a .
45-calibre pistol and a handwritten note in which the assailant detailed his resentment towards those he believed had tormented him. The school has been placed under lockdown, and classes are suspended for the remainder of the week. This tragedy underscores persistent concerns about school safety and mental health support in the Philippines, where access to firearms remains relatively unregulated.
The Department of Education has announced a review of anti-bullying policies, while local officials have called for increased psychosocial services for students. The incident is the worst school shooting in the country since 2016, when a similar attack in Cavite province left four dead.
