Philippine School Massacre Was Premeditated, Police Probe Bullying and Online Radicalization

Tacloban-Two teenagers accused of carrying out a school shooting that killed three students and wounded at least 15 others in the central Philippine city of Tacloban had planned the attack in advance, police said on Tuesday, as investigators examined allegations of bullying and possible online influences behind the violence.

The shooting, which occurred on Monday at San Jose National High School in Leyte province, is among the deadliest school attacks in recent Philippine history and has prompted heightened scrutiny of youth violence, firearm access and online content.

National police spokesman Allen Rae Co said preliminary findings indicated the attack had been premeditated. Investigators found that the two suspects, aged 15 and 14, had remained together in a school restroom for more than an hour before the shooting began.

“All indications point to the fact that it was planned,” Co told reporters during a briefing.

Authorities said the suspects are in custody. The attack left three students dead and 15 others hospitalized with gunshot wounds. One victim remained in critical condition on Tuesday, according to local police.

“His condition is under strict observation, but we were told he is fighting for his life,” Tacloban police spokeswoman Evalyn Diaz said.

Police said investigators are examining claims that the suspects had experienced bullying at school, while also reviewing evidence suggesting exposure to violent online material may have contributed to the attack.

Diaz said witness accounts and early investigative findings appeared consistent with reports that bullying had been a motivating factor. However, Co said authorities had also identified indications that online communities or digital content may have influenced one of the suspects.

“Based on our initial investigation, the 14-year-old was heavily influenced by online content,” Co said, adding that investigators were examining the possible role of an unidentified online group.

Authorities disclosed that the younger suspect allegedly used a Glock 9mm pistol belonging to his aunt, a police officer who has since been suspended and taken into custody pending investigation. Police said the teenager had previously visited a firing range and possessed basic familiarity with handling firearms.

Regional police director Jason Capoy said the second weapon, a .38-caliber revolver, was registered to a security agency where the grandfather of the older suspect had previously worked.

Witnesses told investigators that the gunmen moved through a school corridor and fired through classroom windows as students sought shelter. Police said the attackers appeared to have coordinated their movements during the assault.

Capoy also said investigators discovered that the younger suspect frequently played GoreBox, a violent first-person shooter video game. Shortly after police disclosed that information, the Philippines’ cybercrime authorities announced a temporary ban on the game while an investigation is conducted.

The shooting has sent shockwaves through Tacloban, where local authorities canceled classes citywide. Philippine Education Secretary Sonny Angara visited injured students and teachers on Tuesday and said many remained deeply traumatized by the events.

“When it was the principal’s turn to share, she collapsed,” Angara told reporters. “That’s what we call trauma, which is very real.”

Teachers interviewed by police described the two suspects as ordinary students with no known record of serious disciplinary problems, according to investigators.

School shootings remain uncommon in the Philippines, where strict gun regulations and cultural factors have historically limited such incidents. Earlier this month, however, seven students were wounded in a separate knife attack at a school in Cavite province, raising concerns about campus security and youth violence.