Three students have been killed and seven others injured after two teenage boys opened fire inside a high school in central Philippines.

The attack happened at San Jose National High School in Tacloban, a city on the island of Leyte.

Authorities confirmed that the suspects, aged 14 and 15, allegedly entered the school premises and went straight into a classroom with a .38 revolver and a 9mm pistol, where they began shooting without warning.

Police said one suspect was arrested shortly after the incident, while the second later surrendered, with the case being linked to a school bullying grudge.

Beyond the three deaths, three students were wounded by gunfire, while four others were injured while trying to escape in panic.

A spokesperson for the Philippine National Police, Colonel Allen Rae Co, said around 40 shell casings were recovered from the scene, and investigations are still ongoing.

Officials also revealed that violent videos were discovered online showing one of the suspects handling a firearm, raising questions about missed warning signs.

“So this is very obviously red flags… if anyone had been able to monitor these, this could have been prevented,” Co said, stressing that responsibility was not being assigned at this stage.

A mother of one of the victims called on parents and guardians who own firearms to be more careful and vigilant, stressing that anyone who allowed the shooters access to guns should be held accountable.

“I’m asking that the gun owners be charged, because the guns wouldn’t have ended up in the children’s hands if it weren’t for them,” Jennelyn Badoria said in an interview outside the school.

Local officials said this is the first school attack recorded in recent years in the city of Tacloban, with a population of about 250,000 people.

The President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., expressed sadness over the tragedy through his spokesperson, who said the incident was “deeply saddening.”

The state’s Ministry of Education said it would review school safety measures, alongside enforcing bullying policies and student monitoring systems, to ensure student safety.

Authorities have also called on parents with firearms to secure them properly and be more vigilant, as investigations continue into how the weapons ended up in the hands of the teenagers.