Rowegie Abanto

Article (news)

THUMBNAIL-CRIME

ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA (<strong>UPDATED</strong>) — Government officials and groups on Monday expressed concern and alarm over a school shooting in Tacloban that left at least three students dead and several injured.</p><p>The shooting incident occurred at the San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, Leyte, on Monday morning, the Philippine National Police Regional Office 8 said.</p><p>In a statement, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian said he was &quot;deeply alarmed and outraged&quot; by the school violence.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/6/22/alleged-school-shooting-reported-in-tacloban-1034">3 dead, 5 injured in alleged school shooting in Tacloban</a></div><p>&quot;Hindi katanggap-tanggap na umaabot ang ganitong klaseng karahasan sa mga paaralang dapat nagsisilbing ligtas na espasyo,&quot; he said.</p><p>While police have already made arrests following the incident, Gatchalian urged law enforcers &quot;to exhaust all efforts to arrest the remaining suspect and ensure that justice is swiftly served.&quot;</p><p>The senator also noted that just last week, <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/6/16/7-students-injured-in-knife-attack-by-schoolmate-in-cavite-1631">seven students were left injured</a> in a knife attack in Cavite.</p><p>&quot;Lubhang nakakabahala ang magkakasunod na mga karahasang ito sa loob ng mga paaralan at nangangailangan ng agaran at magkakaugnay na pagkilos,&quot; he said.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>INVESTIGATION</strong></div><p>Meanwhile, the Department of Education in Eastern Visayas said authorities are now investigating the Tacloban school shooting.</p><p>In a statement, it voiced its &quot;deep concern&quot; over the violence, noting that it is committed to providing the support to the affected school community and to ensuring that schools remain safe, secure, and conducive for learning.</p><p>&quot;Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this unfortunate incident, particularly the learners, personnel, and families who may have experienced fear, trauma, or distress as a result of the situation,&quot; it said.</p><p>It said it has also coordinated with the social welfare department and other agencies to facilitate assistance and psychosocial support services to affected learners and personnel.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>&#x27;CULTURE OF VIOLENCE&#x27;</strong></div><p>The Alliance of Concerned Teachers, for its part, called on the government to &quot;confront the deeper social conditions that nurture a culture of violence.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Schools cannot simply be treated as sites requiring more policing; they must be strengthened as spaces of care, learning, and human development,&quot; ACT chairperson Ruby Bernardo said in a statement.</p><p>ACT cited the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), which reported &quot;how overcrowded classrooms contribute to a diminished sense of safety among learners.&quot;</p><p>&quot;EDCOM&#x27;s own findings show that overcrowding is not merely a learning issue but also a student welfare issue. When classrooms contain fifty or sixty learners, meaningful guidance, supervision, and intervention become far more difficult. Students themselves report feeling safer and more supported in smaller classes,&quot; Bernardo said.</p><p>&quot;Genuine school safety cannot be separated from the broader struggle for quality education. For the sake of our children, we must build schools that are not only places of learning, but communities of care and hope.&quot;</p><p>Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez and Tingog party-list group are also coordinating with the Tacloban City government on possible assistance following the school shooting.</p><p>Tingog party-list said it is reaching out with concerned hospitals and agencies to ensure that psychosocial support is also provided aside from medical assistance.</p><p>It also called for an impartial investigation to determine how firearms entered the school and measures that should be strengthened for the protection of students and teachers.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>LEGAL INTERVENTIONS</strong></div><p>Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan called for the immediate implementation of the Juvenile Justice Law, noting that the underage suspects’ parents should be held accountable if proven negligent.</p><p>“Hindi pwedeng pakawalan ang mga suspek kahit menor de edad. Dapat dumaan sila sa prosesong itinakda ng batas,” Pangilinan said.</p><p>The senator added that the Department of Social Welfare and Development is mandated to provide assistance for the victims and their families until justice is served.  </p><p>Sen. JV Ejercito wants an explanation on how the minor suspects had access to firearms despite having no legal authority.</p><p>“Dapat silipin at balikan ang mga umiiral na batas na may kaugnayan sa pagmamay-ari ng baril; at paigtingin ang kampanya laban sa loose firearms sa bansa,” Estrada said.</p><p>He noted that authorities should also examine the suspects’ psychological make-up to determine what drove them to do such an act.</p><div><strong>—With a report from Agatha Gregorio, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><br/></div><div><em><strong>If you know someone battling with depression or suicidal thoughts, contact the NCMH Crisis Hotline on landline (1553), or through mobile numbers 0917-899-8727 and 0919-057-1553.</strong></em></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>OTHER NEWS</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rMsfsBCuoMI?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Government officials and groups on Monday expressed concern and alarm over a school shooting in Tacloban that left at least three students dead and several injured.</p>

Government officials and groups on Monday expressed concern and alarm over a school shooting in Tacloban that left at least three students dead and several injured.

Officials, groups express alarm over Tacloban school shooting

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Officials, groups express alarm over Tacloban school shooting

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 22, 2026 02:01 PM PHT

|

Updated June 23, 2026 05:46 PM PHT

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Tacloban

School Violence

DepEd

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