At least six people have been killed and 17 others injured in a shooting at a school in the Philippines.
A gunman opened fire at Banga National High School in South Cotabato on Friday afternoon before taking his own life, according to local reports.
The attack is the third deadly gun incident at a Philippine school since June, highlighting a rare but growing pattern of school shootings in the country.
Banga Mayor Albert Palencia said all the victims were students aged between 14 and 17. Four of the 17 injured students were in critical condition.
Palencia told Reuters that the suspect had reportedly sat beside friends and told them to go home because he planned to carry out his attack after lunch. His friends allegedly laughed because they knew him as someone who often joked.
“After lunch, he started shooting students. He hit 10 students before killing himself,” Palencia said.
Local media initially published conflicting casualty figures. The death toll was later confirmed by the Department of Social Welfare and Development, which has sent social workers to offer psychological support to those affected.
The Department of Education said it was “deeply concerned by the reported shooting incident.”
An image reportedly shows the suspected gunman dead at the scene
Emergency personnel at the scene of the deadly school shooting in Banga, South Cotabato, Philippines, on September 18, 2026
Terrified children cry as they are reunited with their families after the shooting in the Philippines
“Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of our learners, teachers and school personnel,” the department said, adding that it was working with authorities to verify the details and provide support.
The department also urged the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information while the investigation continues.
Videos shared on social media showed injured students being carried from classrooms. Police footage appeared to show blood covering the school floors as officers evacuated the building.
Another video showed frightened children being reunited with their families.
Officials have not released the shooter’s identity. However, local media published an image that purportedly showed the gunman lying dead on the ground.
Classes have been suspended as police remain at the school and investigate the attack.
The shooting is the Philippines’ third deadly school incident since June.
The Philippines has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the region.
The gunman opened fire at Banga National High School, pictured, in South Cotabato on Friday afternoon
Last month, a student live-streamed himself shooting and killing another student in a classroom in Zamboanga in the country’s south before taking his own life.
In June, at least three students were killed and about 20 others injured in an attack at a public high school in Tacloban, where two classmates opened fire on campus.
The Philippines has relatively strict gun ownership regulations, including background checks and psychological evaluation requirements, although illegal firearms remain in circulation.
The Friday shooting also follows a high-profile incident in Thailand in August, where a student went on a shooting rampage at a school on the outskirts of the capital Bangkok.
South Cotabato governor Reynaldo Tamayo urged parents to ensure guns were kept out of reach of minors.
‘We need to be responsible in storing firearms. Gun owners, in particular, must make sure that minors do not have access to them,’ Tamayo told Reuters by phone.
‘We cannot expect a handful of security personnel to monitor thousands of students. We need to work together because otherwise this will be very difficult for us to address.’
This is a breaking news story, more to follow.
