High School Shooting Leaves 3 Students Dead, 8 Wounded

Three high school students died while eight others were wounded when a 16-year-old schoolmate went on a shooting rampage at the Banga National High School (BNHS) in Banga town, South Cotabato on Friday, Sept. 18.

Banga Mayor Albert Palencia said the Grade 9 student first warned his classmates to go home early because he would do something after lunch.

Citing witnesses, Palencia said the shooter went outside his classroom after lunch and stood in front of another room, where he opened fire at another group of students.

The boy then reportedly entered one room after another and fired at students inside, changing magazines as he continued shooting, hitting 10 students before pointing the gun at his head and killing himself.

The attacker used a 9mm Glock pistol, according to Palencia and South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., who responded to the incident.

Two of the students initially wounded in the shooting later died at a hospital where emergency responders brought them for treatment.

The eight wounded students, aged 14 to 17, were brought to two hospitals for medical treatment, with some of them in critical condition.

“The PNP is still verifying the circumstances of the incident and the identities and conditions of those involved,” Philippine National Police spokesman Col. Allen Rae Co said in a statement.

The students at BNHS were immediately dismissed from classes by their teachers.

The gunshots that reverberated through the campus also caused panic among villagers in nearby houses and establishments, according to Tamayo.

“I am saddened by this incident. We shall do our best to prevent any repeat of this kind of atrocity in our province,” Tamayo said.

Gun from shooter’s dad

Palencia revealed that the firearm was owned by the student’s father, a Department of Education (DepEd) employee who was in General Santos City teaching students from another school, ironically on safety measures.

The handgun had been kept in a vault, which the student forcibly opened.

Palencia said the firearm was not detected by the lone security guard of the campus that houses more than 3,000 students.

Police investigators also learned that the suspect was a member of an online group called “True Crimes Community,” which glorifies mass killers and extreme violence.

When police searched the group’s website, they found posts by the shooter showing that he idolized previous school shooters.

“It’s like he was copying what happened in other schools. It seemed that was what happened to the boy,” Palencia said.

The suspect’s mother, who rushed to the school after the shooting, told police investigators that she and her husband had been planning to have their son checked by a psychiatrist because of mental health issues.

Police were also pursuing another possible angle after learning that the student had become depressed after receiving a grade of 76 in one of his subjects.

Palencia described the suspect as an exemplary student who belonged to the school’s special class and was a member of its taekwondo team.

“He was intelligent. He was in the special class, a taekwondo player, handsome and tall,” he said.

DepEd to provide psychological first aid

The DepEd expressed alarm over the shooting incident.

“The Department of Education is deeply concerned by the reported shooting incident at Banga National High School in Banga, South Cotabato,” it said in a statement.

The department vowed to prioritize the safety and well-being of learners, teachers and school personnel.

“We are closely coordinating with the Schools Division Office, Regional Office, local authorities and law enforcement to verify the circumstances and provide necessary assistance,” DepEd said.

It gave assurance that it is ready to provide psychological first aid, as well as mental health and psychosocial support, to those affected.

“We urge everyone to remain calm and refrain from sharing unverified information as authorities continue their investigation. The safety of every learner and member of the school community remains our foremost priority,” DepEd added.

Girl, 13, found with gun

Meanwhile, police and education officials are carefully looking into how an unserviceable .38-caliber revolver without ammunition reached a 13-year-old Grade 8 learner at Lucban Integrated School in Baguio City.

The firearm, now in police custody, was found in the learner’s possession, prompting authorities to determine how it was brought into the school and who owns it.

Police are tracing the firearm’s ownership while education officials are reviewing the school’s safety and reporting procedures in connection with the incident.

Authorities said the learners affected by the incident were provided with psychological first aid.

The Grade 8 learner was referred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for intervention and case management.

The investigation is continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether there were lapses in existing school safety protocols.

Police and education officials appealed to the public to avoid speculation and respect the privacy of those involved. – With additional reports from Artemio Dumlao, Emmanuel Tupas and Bella Cariaso