Two killed, five injured in school shooting in central Philippines VIDEO

Two individuals opened fire at a high school in central Philippines on Monday (June 22), killing three students and injuring five others, according to police authorities.

Law enforcement officials said two suspects have been detained in connection with the incident, including one student from San Jose National High School, located in Tacloban, where the shooting took place, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Both suspects are male and were reportedly carrying pistols.

The attack occurred around 9 a.m. inside the school premises in Barangay San Jose. The injured victims were transported to nearby hospitals for medical treatment.

Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the shooting at the government-run school, which has an enrolment of more than 1,500 students. Additional police units have been deployed to strengthen security in the area.

Police urged the public to stay calm and avoid spreading unverified information, while also encouraging citizens to assist investigators with any relevant details that could help the case.

"We urge the public to remain calm, refrain from disseminating unverified information and cooperate with authorities by providing any information that may aid the ongoing investigation," the national police said in a statement.

Although firearm-related crimes are relatively common in the Philippines due to the widespread circulation of unlicensed weapons, attacks in schools remain uncommon.

In a previous case in July 2022, a gunman opened fire during a graduation ceremony at Ateneo de Manila University’s law school in Quezon City, killing three people, including former Lamitan City mayor Rose Furigay.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov