At least three people have been killed and five others injured after a rare school shooting at a secondary school in central Philippines, police have said.
The shooting occurred at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, in Leyte province, prompting a major security response and raising concerns about safety in schools.
Regional police said the wounded victims were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
“The victims were immediately transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment and appropriate medical intervention,” police said in a statement.
Authorities have not yet established a motive for the attack.
State broadcaster PTV reported that two suspects, believed to be students, had been arrested. One of the suspects was reportedly detained at the scene shortly after the shooting.
Presidential spokeswoman Claire Castro praised the police response, saying: “The PNP has already caught the suspects. They acted quickly.”
School shootings are uncommon in the Philippines, where incidents of gun violence more frequently occur in connection with political rivalries and personal disputes.
Three people, including a former city mayor, were killed in a shooting before a graduation ceremony at Ateneo de Manila University in the capital, Manila. Investigators later concluded that the attack was motivated by personal grievances.
Although legal ownership of firearms is tightly controlled in the Philippines, authorities have long struggled with the circulation of illegal weapons through a large black market.
Police said investigations into the latest shooting are continuing as authorities seek to establish the motive and determine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
