Three students killed in Philippine school shooting including suspected gunman

A school shooting in the southern Philippines resulted in three deaths, including the 16-year-old suspected gunman who took his own life. Eight individuals were injured, with four of them in critical condition. All victims were pupils aged between 14 and 17, according to Albert Palencia, the mayor of Banga town in South Cotabato, where the incident occurred.

The suspected shooter reportedly instructed his friends to leave the school after lunch, claiming he would carry out his plan. His friends found the situation humorous, as the shooter was known for his sense of humor. Following their lunch break, the shooter began firing at students before ultimately taking his own life.

South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo called for stringent measures to prevent firearms from falling into the hands of children. "We need to be responsible in storing firearms," he emphasized. "Gun owners, in particular, must ensure that minors do not have access to them. 'We cannot expect a handful of security personnel to monitor thousands of students. We need to work together because otherwise, addressing such incidents will be very challenging.'"

Similar school shootings have occurred in the past. Last month, a student in Zamboanga City live-streamed himself shooting and killing another student in a classroom before taking his own life. In June, an attack at a public high school in Tacloban left three pupils dead and 20 injured, following an incident where two classmates opened fire on campus.

Despite the Philippines having relatively strict gun ownership regulations, including background checks and psychological evaluations, illegal firearms continue to be present.