BANGA, South Cotabato — A school shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato on Friday, September 18, left students dead and others wounded, triggering an emergency response and a continuing investigation into how the attack unfolded.
The incident happened at the public high school in Barangay Benitez, Banga, at around early afternoon, according to initial reports.
The casualty figures changed as authorities received and verified information. Reuters reported that three students were killed, including the 16-year-old suspected gunman, while eight other students aged 14 to 17 were injured. Four of those wounded were reportedly in critical condition, according to Banga Mayor Albert Palencia.
The Associated Press, however, reported that three people had died and six others were hospitalized, citing South Cotabato provincial disaster response official Rolly Doane Aquino and police confirmation.
Meanwhile, a later Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) update reported a significantly higher figure of six students dead and 17 injured, underscoring the rapidly changing casualty count as agencies continued verifying the situation.
Suspected gunman reportedly turned the weapon on himself
According to Reuters, the suspected shooter was a 16-year-old student who allegedly warned friends before the attack that he intended to carry out a plan after lunch.
Mayor Palencia told Reuters that the friends reportedly did not take the warning seriously because they considered the student a joker. The suspect later allegedly opened fire at students before turning the firearm on himself.
BusinessMirror separately reported that the suspect was a Grade 9 student and that the firearm was reportedly owned by his parents. These details remain part of the authorities’ investigation.
South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo has also said investigators were looking into reports that the suspect belonged to an online group described as a “True Crime Community.” Authorities have not established that the group caused or directly contributed to the shooting.
DepEd calls for calm and protection of victims
The Department of Education confirmed the shooting and said it was coordinating with the school’s division and regional offices, local authorities and law enforcement.
DepEd said its immediate priority was the safety and well-being of students, teachers and school personnel. It also said psychological first aid and mental-health and psychosocial support would be made available to those affected.
DepEd Region XII separately appealed to the public to stop circulating videos of the incident, citing the potential trauma to victims and their families and the need to respect their privacy.
Classes were suspended across Banga following the shooting, according to local authorities.
Governor urges tighter firearm control at home
Gov. Tamayo urged firearm owners to make sure guns are securely stored and inaccessible to minors.
“We need to be responsible in storing firearms,” Tamayo told Reuters, stressing that school security personnel alone cannot realistically monitor thousands of students.
The investigation remains ongoing, and authorities are working to establish the complete circumstances surrounding the shooting, including the source of the firearm, the sequence of events and whether any other people were involved.
Third deadly school shooting reported since June
The Banga shooting comes less than three months after a deadly attack at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City.
On June 22, two students reportedly opened fire at the school, killing at least three classmates and wounding around 20 others, according to Reuters and Philstar.
On August 18, another school shooting was reported at Ateneo de Zamboanga University, where a student allegedly shot and killed a schoolmate before taking his own life.
The succession of incidents has renewed concerns about school security, firearm access and the safety of students on Philippine campuses.
For now, authorities are urging the public to rely on verified information and avoid sharing graphic or unverified material while investigators establish the full facts.
