Philippines School Shooting Leaves Multiple Dead and Injured in South Cotabato
- At least three people, including a 16-year-old suspected gunman and two students, were killed on Sept.
- Several other individuals sustained injuries during the attack and were transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment.
- Authorities have not yet established the exact number of attackers involved in the incident.
At least three people, including a 16-year-old suspected gunman and two students, were killed on Sept. 18, 2026, during a high school shooting in Banga town in South Cotabato, in the southern Philippines, according to local officials and disaster response workers. The violent episode left several others injured, with victims ranging in age from 14 to 17 years old, as authorities in the country confronted their third deadly school shooting since June.
Casualties and Injuries Confirmed by Officials
Several other individuals sustained injuries during the attack and were transported to nearby medical facilities for treatment. Out of eight total people injured in the violence, four were listed in critical condition, according to disaster agency figures. All of the casualties involved students aged 14 to 17. South Cotabato provincial governor Reynaldo Tamayo stated that the suspected gunman reportedly shot himself following the attack. The town mayor later reported that the attacker had died, according to the Reuters news agency.
Investigation and Security Context
Authorities have not yet established the exact number of attackers involved in the incident. A teacher was heard in a video circulating across social media stating that there were two shooters, while a student asserted that the assailants were outsiders to the school.
Governor Tamayo sought to reassure the public in the aftermath of the tragedy. For now, we are trying to let our fellow citizens know that the situation is stable and the case is contained,
Tamayo said, adding, We never thought this would happen.
The shooting occurred just weeks after nationwide shooter drills were conducted across the Philippines to strengthen campus security. Those precautionary drills followed two earlier school shootings that took place in the country earlier in the year.
