Arab News | School shooting in southern Philippines kills at least two

MANILA: A student killed at least two people at a school in the southern Philippines on Friday before turning the gun on himself, officials told AFP, the country’s third deadly campus attack since June.

Local rescuers received a call about gunfire on the campus of Banga National High School in South Cotabato province in Mindanao at about 1:30 pm (0530 GMT).

“One male and one female were killed, both Grade nine students,” disaster agency worker Rizalie Dedel told AFP over the phone, adding that the gunman had taken his own life.

South Cotabato provincial governor Reynaldo Tamayo told AFP the shooter had been a classmate of the victims.

“He is a student of that school, grade nine,” Tamayo said.

He said at least three people were being treated for gunshot wounds at a local hospital.

Tamayo said the shooter had used a “very well-maintained” nine-millimetre handgun and acted alone.

Banga Mayor Albert Palencia said in a separate radio interview that the suspect, the son of Department of Education officials, had taken the gun from a home safe.

He said the grade nine student had warned two friends of his plan to do it “right after lunch”.

Police have yet to confirm the age of the shooter.

In a video posted to Facebook and confirmed by AFP, a man can be seen carrying what appears to be a wounded child from the school, rushing him into the sidecar of a waiting motorbike.

Friday’s shooting comes one month to the day after a student livestreamed himself shooting a schoolmate dead before taking his own life at another school in Mindanao.

Live shooter drills were conducted across the Philippines this month to strengthen security.

Palencia said on Friday the Banga shooter’s parents were involved in the drills there.