Hanoi (VNA) – At least six students were killed and 17 others were injured following a shooting at Banga National High School, South Cotabato province, on September 18, according to the Philippine Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
The incident occurred at around 13:30 (local time). Rescue teams were alerted to gunfire on the school grounds and quickly rushed to the scene.
The Philippine Department of Education said it is coordinating with local authorities and law enforcement agencies to verify the incident. It is also preparing psychological support and mental health care for students, teachers and others affected by the shooting.
The department called on the public to remain calm and refrain from sharing unverified information.
Banga has temporarily suspended classes at all levels following the shooting. Authorities are investigating the incident to determine its cause.
The shooting was the third deadly incident at a school in southern Philippines since June. On June 22, two students at San Jose National High School in Tacloban city opened fire, killing at least three students and injuring around 20 others. On August 18, a student carrying two guns shot dead a fellow student at Ateneo de Zamboanga University in Zamboanga city.
The string of incidents in recent months has raised concerns over security and safety at schools in the Philippines./.
Philippines: Three students killed in school shooting
Three students were killed and seven others injured in a shooting at San Jose National High School in Tacloban City in the central Philippines on June 22.
