BANGA, South Cotabato — Three students, including the suspected shooter, were killed and eight others were wounded in a shooting at Banga National High School on Friday, Sept. 18, leaving families grieving and raising fresh concerns about school safety.

The shooting happened at about 1 p.m. inside a classroom in Barangay Benitez during the students’ noon break, according to local officials.

The suspected shooter, a Grade 9 student, later died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.

South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said police were investigating the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

One of the wounded students was later reported to be in critical condition and was referred to the Cotabato Regional Medical Center for further treatment, according to the Banga Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

How did the student get the gun?

The firearm used in the shooting was reportedly owned by the suspect’s father, a Department of Education employee, according to Banga Mayor Albert Palencia.

Palencia said the boy allegedly accessed a 9mm pistol kept inside a vault at home. Authorities are investigating how the firearm was obtained and brought into the school.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered a thorough investigation, including how a minor was able to obtain and bring a firearm into the school.

Authorities are also examining circumstances surrounding the student’s behavior and possible warning signs before the shooting.

DILG Secretary Jonvic Remulla said investigators found material on the student’s phone that they were examining, including references to an online “deep dark web” community and notes about depression.

These findings remain part of the investigation and do not, by themselves, establish what caused the shooting.

Schools respond

Classes at Banga National High School were suspended following the shooting as authorities secured the area and assisted affected students and families.

The Department of Education said it was coordinating with local authorities and law enforcement and would provide psychological first aid and mental health and psychosocial support to affected students, teachers and other members of the school community.

DepEd also urged the public not to spread unverified information about the incident.

The school’s Supreme Secondary Learner Government separately appealed to the public to stop sharing photos and videos related to the shooting, saying unverified reports and unnecessary commentary could further distress victims and their families.

Safety concerns beyond Banga

The shooting has prompted renewed calls for stronger school-safety measures.

DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara proposed a Joint School Safety Task Force with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police to conduct security audits in public schools.

The PNP has also discussed measures aimed at strengthening school security and community monitoring.

In neighboring Surallah, the mayor suspended face-to-face classes on Sept. 21 following reports of threats against schools. Police said they were verifying the reports and urged the public not to spread unverified information.

At the national level, Senate President Sherwin Gatchalian renewed calls for passage of a proposed Comprehensive School Safety Act, which would establish a national framework for preventing and responding to threats against schools.

What parents and students need to know

For parents, the shooting raises immediate questions: How secure are schools? How are threats reported? How are students supported after a traumatic event? And how can firearms be kept out of children’s reach?

South Cotabato officials have urged gun owners to ensure that firearms are securely stored and inaccessible to minors.

Authorities continue to investigate the Banga shooting, including how the firearm was accessed and brought to school and what happened before the attack.

The incident is also the latest in a series of fatal school shootings reported in the Philippines since June, following shootings in Tacloban City and Zamboanga City.

For the Banga school community, however, the immediate priority remains the wounded students, the families who lost loved ones and the classmates and teachers dealing with the aftermath.

As the investigation continues, one question remains for authorities, schools and communities:

What can be done now to keep students safe and prevent another tragedy inside a school?