Tacloban school shooting wounded count rises to 20

MANILA, Philippines — The number of students wounded in a school shooting in Tacloban City has risen to 20, police said on Tuesday, June 23, a day after two teenagers opened fire on their classmates.

Three students were killed in the attack at San Jose National High School, bringing the total number of victims to 23. All were minors.

Of the 20 wounded, 15 had gunshot injuries and were still in the hospital on Tuesday. The other five were hurt in other ways, the Police Regional Office 8 said.

The two attackers, both boys aged 14 and 15, opened fire inside the school on Monday morning in one of the deadliest campus attacks in the country in recent years.  

Before the Tacloban shooting, the last widely reported gun attack on a public school occurred in Nueva Ecija in August 2025, when an 18-year-old shot a 15-year-old student inside a classroom at Sta. Rosa Integrated School.

Police have confirmed the 9mm Glock pistol used in the Tacloban shooting belonged to a policewomen who is a relative of one of the students. She has since been relieved of her post.

The two attackers, both minors and tagged by police as children in conflict with the law, are to be turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for legal and intervention proceedings. 

Education Secretary Sonny Angara, who visited the school on Tuesday, said the shooting pointed to problems broader than campus security.

He said the two attackers had been exposed to violence online and, like many children in such cases, had little parental supervision. Angara said based on his conversations with teachers, one of the attackers had a father looking for work in another province.

"It is not just a peace-and-order problem. The children also need to be managed," Angara said in Filipino.

He said teachers and principals had to take on part of that role. "We are really like parents here. We should check on the children and watch for whether something is wrong, whether a child is not their usual self," he said.

DepEd is now eyeing the rollout of a revised emergency protocol for school shootings, which Angara said he had never expected to use. He said Health Secretary Ted Herbosa had brought this to his attention.

"It is something we never thought was applicable, but it turns out it exists," he said. "We just have to update it — what to do, how to drop to the ground, the behavior to keep down the loss of life.

Angara said responsibility for the attack lay with whoever had let a gun reach a child.

He did not fault the school staff, saying the teachers had kept the death toll from rising and that the principal was not to blame.

"It is not natural for children to have a gun. Not every home has one," he said. "How did the child get hold of a gun?"

Angara linked the violence partly to the presence of gangs, which he said the city mayor had told him became more prominent after the pandemic.

The DepEd chief said he had not yet spoken to the two suspects. "I would like to talk to them, to understand their mindset," he said.

The shooting was the third act of violence carried out on school grounds in about a week. 

On June 16, a Grade 8 student stabbed seven Grade 5 pupils with a kitchen knife at a private school in General Trias, Cavite. On June 19, a senior high school student was stabbed at a school in Cavite City.

The attacks have prompted the Philippine National Police to say they will coordinate with DepEd on protecting students, and have revived debate in the Senate over how the law treats minors who commit serious crimes. 

Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act sets the minimum age of criminal responsibility at 15 years old. A surge of "misinformation" about the law was flagged by Sen. Kiko Pangilinan yesterday, who clarified the law does not absolve minors from committing crimes. Instead, minor offenders must go through a structured rehabilitation and diversion process within the juvenile justice system.

On Tuesday, Angara vowed the immediate provision of psychosocial support for teachers, staff and students. He siad he has ordered the assignment of guidance counselors to help students deal with the aftermath of the shooting. 

Angara said last year that the Philippines had about 4,069 licensed guidance counselors, far short of the international benchmark of one for every 250 students. The department has said it aims to hire about 15,000 counselor associates by the end of the year. 

abtestabtest Ex-justice: VP may be removed for hiding assets By Marc Jayson Cayabyab | 15 hours ago Impeachable officials like Vice President Sara Duterte may be removed from office for “intentional concealment”... Headlines Senate OKs 5-year barangay, SK term bill By Marc Jayson Cayabyab | 15 hours ago The Senate yesterday passed on third and final reading a bill seeking to fix the terms of barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan... Headlines Sara Duterte trial recap, Sept. 14: Law lecture on unexplained wealth, politics on cross By Cristina Chi | 22 hours ago Three key moments and discussions from Day 24, September 14 of Sara Duterte's impeachment trial. Headlines Marcos on Sara tirades: You can’t force anyone to love you By Alexis Romero | 15 hours ago  Not even the most powerful man in the land can demand affection. Headlines Defense questions ex-Sandigan presiding justice as witness By Bella Cariaso | 15 hours ago The defense panel has questioned the decision of the prosecution to present retired Sandiganbayan presiding justice Amparo... Headlines Latest More in Headlines MV June Aster captain turns up five days after ferry fire off Coron Bangsamoro Federalist Party leads partial, unofficial BARMM poll results QC court junks Sara Duterte’s bid to inhibit judge LIVE Coverage: Sara Duterte's impeachment trial, Sept. 15 abtest US eyes Taiwan role in Luzon corridor's chip, AI push 7 hours ago Washington sees room for Taiwanese investment in chips, AI and manufacturing. Headlines Romualdez moved to Payatas jail, arraignment set Sept. 16 By Ian Laqui | 9 hours ago Former speaker was transferred to the Quezon City jail after independent medical review. Headlines BARMM holds first parliamentary polls in shadow of violence By John Unson | 15 hours ago A string of deadly election-related incidents marred the opening of the first Bangsamoro parliamentary election yesterday,... Headlines BOC, PDEA uncover 15 boxes of illegal drugs from Canada By Rudy Santos | 15 hours ago The Bureau of Customs and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency intercepted yesterday over P199.7 million worth... Headlines Sandigan orders Quezon City jail transfer for Romualdez By Daphne Galvez | 15 hours ago With assurance by doctors that there was “no imperative need” for continued hospital confinement for former speaker... Headlines Recommended "Friends of court" September 15, 2026 - 12:00am Kulbahinam kaayo karong Miyerkules kay ang mga Senador hatagan og ideya sa mga legal experts kon unsaon sa paghukom ang kaso nga gipasaka batok ni Vice President Sara Duterte. HeadlinesSARA DUTERTE Expose ni Sara September 14, 2026 - 12:00am Si Bise Presidente Sara Duterte usa sa labing unang nibisto sa budget scandal sa administrasyon ni Presidente Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Isip education secretary sugod sa Hulyo 2022 hangtod sa Hulyo 2024, nakabantay siya...r HeadlinesSARA DUTERTE Mura'g discount sa Temu September 13, 2026 - 12:00am Dili na motahan sa iyang boto si Senator-Judge Francis Escudero ini'g desider unya sa mga senator-judges kon sustenihan ba o dili ang 16 ka boto nga threshold aron pagkonbikto ni Bise Presidente Sara Dutert...r HeadlinesSARA DUTERTE Davide usa sa motambag sa impeachment court September 12, 2026 - 12:00am Ang Sugbuanong si retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. maoy usa sa tulo ka mga kanhi chief justices ug usa ka retiradong associate justice nga motambag sa Senate impeachment court sa sunod semana kabahin impeachment...r HeadlinesHILARIO DAVIDE JR. Paglili sa bilyones September 12, 2026 - 12:00am Pila ka adlaw sa dili pa mosugod pagpresentar og mga ebidensiya aron pagmatuod sa pasangil sa ilegal nga katigayonan ni Bise Presidente Sara Duterte sa pagpadayon sa impeachment trial karong Lunes, gipalili na sa...r HeadlinesSARA DUTERTE next Recommended "Friends of court" Kulbahinam kaayo karong Miyerkules kay ang mga Senador hatagan og ideya sa mga legal experts kon unsaon sa paghukom ang kaso nga gipasaka batok ni Vice President Sara Duterte. 15 hours ago SARA DUTERTE Expose ni Sara Si Bise Presidente Sara Duterte usa sa labing unang nibisto sa budget scandal sa administrasyon ni Presidente Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Isip education secretary sugod sa Hulyo 2022 hangtod sa Hulyo 2024, nakabantay siya og mga timaan sa maniobra: 1 day ago SARA DUTERTE Mura'g discount sa Temu Dili na motahan sa iyang boto si Senator-Judge Francis Escudero ini'g desider unya sa mga senator-judges kon sustenihan ba o dili ang 16 ka boto nga threshold aron pagkonbikto ni Bise Presidente Sara Duterte.  2 days ago SARA DUTERTE Davide usa sa motambag sa impeachment court Ang Sugbuanong si retired Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. maoy usa sa tulo ka mga kanhi chief justices ug usa ka retiradong associate justice nga motambag sa Senate impeachment court sa sunod semana kabahin impeachment batok kang Vice President Sara Duterte. 3 days ago HILARIO DAVIDE JR. Paglili sa bilyones Pila ka adlaw sa dili pa mosugod pagpresentar og mga ebidensiya aron pagmatuod sa pasangil sa ilegal nga katigayonan ni Bise Presidente Sara Duterte sa pagpadayon sa impeachment trial karong Lunes, gipalili na sa House panel of prosecutors ang publiko sa iyang bank accounts: 3 days ago SARA DUTERTE OK Are you sure you want to log out? Yes No X Login Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. Sign up now!