Chalssea Kate Echegoyen

Policemen stand near the crime scene of a school compound after a shooting incident at a high school compound in Tacloban City, Leyte province on June 22, 2026. At least three teenaged students were killed and five others wounded on June 22, in a rare school shooting in the central Philippines, police said. (Photo by Noel  Sianosa / AFP)

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17822078094201782207807745.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Policemen stand near the crime scene of a school compound after a shooting incident at a high school compound in Tacloban City, Leyte province on June 22, 2026. At least three teenaged students were killed in a rare school shooting in the central Philippines, police said. Noel Sianosa, AFP"/>Policemen stand near the crime scene of a school compound after a shooting incident at a high school compound in Tacloban City, Leyte province on June 22, 2026. At least three teenaged students were killed in a rare school shooting in the central Philippines, police said. Noel Sianosa, AFP </div>MANILA – Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday called for a Senate investigation into the fatal shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, saying the incident highlights the need for stricter implementation of the country&#x27;s anti-bullying law.Tulfo issued the statement a day after the shooting, which left at least three students dead and several others injured inside the school campus. Authorities earlier said the suspected gunmen were minors and that bullying was being eyed as a possible motive behind the attack.<div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/6/22/alleged-school-shooting-reported-in-tacloban-1034">READ: 3 dead, 13 injured in school shooting in Tacloban</a></div>Tulfo expressed condolences to the families of the victims and condemned the violence, which took place inside a school.&quot;Mariin nating kinokondena ang ganitong karahasan na nangyari pa mismo sa loob ng paaralan na dapat ay ligtas na lugar para sa ating mga kabataan,&quot; Tulfo said.He said the reported bullying angle should serve as a wake-up call for schools and government agencies to strengthen enforcement of Republic Act No. 10627, or the Anti-Bullying Act of 2013.&quot;Bagama&#x27;t ‘di tama ang naging paraan nila para resolbahin ang bullying sa kanila, isa po itong nakakaalarma na hudyat para sa lahat ng mga eskwelahan at sa mga awtoridad: Lagyan na ng pangil ang implementasyon ng Anti-Bullying Act,&quot; he said.Tulfo warned that bullying-related incidents appear to be escalating, noting that while bullying has previously been linked to physical harm and even suicide among students, the Tacloban shooting allegedly resulted in multiple deaths within a school campus.&quot;Ilang buhay pa ang dapat na mawala bago tayo magising sa katotohanan na malamya ang implementasyon ng mga anti-bullying laws sa bansa?&quot; he said.The senator also urged authorities to prevent similar incidents from becoming commonplace in the Philippines.&quot;Huwag po nating hayaan na mahanay ang ating bansa sa mga lugar na normal na ang mass shooting at bullying sa mga eskuwelahan,&quot; he said.Tulfo said his office is coordinating with the families of the victims to provide assistance.As chairman of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, he also called on his fellow senators to immediately conduct an inquiry into the incident.The proposed investigation, he said, should determine whether there were lapses on the part of the school, identify factors that contributed to the shooting, and recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.The shooting has also prompted calls from other lawmakers for broader reforms addressing bullying, school security, gun access, and parental involvement.Akbayan Party-list Rep. Chel Diokno urged the Department of Education to address a persistent &quot;culture of silence&quot; among bullying victims, citing reports that the minor suspects may have experienced bullying before the attack.&quot;The shooting incident is extremely alarming and troubling, as schools are meant to be safe spaces for students. Bullying has no place in our educational institutions,&quot; Diokno said.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2026/6/23/tacloban-school-shooting-planned-shooter-got-gun-from-policewoman-aunt-pnp-0858">READ: Tacloban school shooting &#x27;planned&#x27;, shooter got gun from policewoman-aunt -- PNP</a></div>He also called for a thorough investigation into how firearms were able to enter the school and whether there were security lapses.&quot;Hindi dapat nakapasok ang baril sa loob ng paaralan. Nananawagan tayo sa mga kinauukulang ahensya na magsagawa ng masusing imbestigasyon at tingnan ang mga posibleng pagkukulang sa seguridad sa eskwelahan,&quot; he said.Citing findings from the Second Congressional Commission on Education, Diokno said unchecked bullying can escalate into more serious forms of violence and contribute to absenteeism, fear, and school avoidance among students.&quot;We won&#x27;t see an end to this situation unless we address the problem of the culture of silence among victims of bullying,&quot; he said.Diokno also urged DepEd to seek funding for anti-bullying programs, including the expansion of its Learner TeleSafe helpline into regional platforms. He stressed that efforts to curb violence should address underlying issues in homes, schools, online spaces, and firearm regulation.Meanwhile, Senate President Win Gatchalian emphasized the role of parents and local governments in preventing school violence, pointing to the Parent Effectiveness Service (PES) Program established under Republic Act No. 11908.In a statement, Gatchalian raised concerns about how minors were able to gain access to firearms and learn how to use them.&quot;How did they get access to firearms, and why do they know how to use them at such a young age?&quot; he said.The law mandates the implementation of the PES Program in all cities and municipalities to strengthen parenting skills and promote child protection.&quot;Kung seryoso tayong wakasan ang karahasan sa ating mga paaralan, kailangang magsimula ang solusyon sa loob ng ating mga tahanan,&quot; Gatchalian said.<div> </div><div>STRONGER SCHOOL POLICIES, AGE OF CRIMINAL LIABILITY</div>In the House of Representatives, Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III called for stronger school safety policies following the shooting and said the chamber is ready to support measures aimed at preventing similar incidents.“This tragedy should compel all sectors to work together to strengthen school safety, promote the well-being of our youth, and address the conditions that can lead to violence,” Dy said.ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. Antonio Tinio, meanwhile, opposed proposals to lower the age of criminal responsibility to 10 years old, calling the move &quot;barbaric&quot; and instead pushing for greater investment in education, guidance services, and mental health support.&quot;Ang pagbaba ng edad ng criminal responsibility sa 10 taong gulang ay hindi makatao at walang kaluluwa… Hindi dapat ikulong ang mga bata dahil sa kapabayaan at kahirapan. Ang mga bata ay biktima, hindi kriminal,&quot; Tinio stressed.Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. also called for a review of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act and proposed stricter penalties for firearm owners whose negligence allows minors access to guns used in crimes.“What I am calling for is that this doctrine be given real and meaningful force, that where a minor acts with full discernment and full appreciation of the gravity of his crime, accountability must follow in proportion to that discernment, and not be evaded simply by invocation of age,” Garbin said.“The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act must be revisited and, where the evidence and the public interest demand it, amended, so that protection for the innocent does not curdle into impunity for the guilty,” Garbin added.Pampanga Rep. Mica Gonzales likewise filed a resolution urging the deployment of Barangay Tanods in elementary and secondary schools during school hours to help strengthen school security. -- with a report from Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News

Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday called for a Senate investigation into the fatal shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, saying the incident highlights the need for stricter implementation of the country's anti-bullying law.

Sen. Erwin Tulfo on Tuesday called for a Senate investigation into the fatal shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City, saying the incident highlights the need for stricter implementation of the country's anti-bullying law.

Tacloban school shooting sparks calls for probe, stronger anti-bullying law enforcement

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

Nation

Tacloban school shooting sparks calls for probe, stronger anti-bullying law enforcement

Chalssea Kate Echegoyen,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 23, 2026 05:51 PM PHT

|

Updated June 23, 2026 06:54 PM PHT

Read More:

Tacloban

School shooting

Erwin Tulfo

Chel Diokno

gun violence

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

ABS-CBN Newsletter

Your go-to source for the latest news, entertainment highlights, exclusive interviews, and updates on your favorite Kapamilya stars.

Sign Up

I have read and agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy.

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.