At least one dead, four injured in school shooting in southern Philippines

MANILA: At least one person was killed and four others injured in a shooting at a high school in the southern Philippines on Friday, the provincial governor said.

The incident follows two shootings since June at schools in the south of the country.

School shootings were previously rare in the Philippines.

The Department of Education said it was deeply concerned over the reported shooting in Banga town in South Cotabato.

Provincial Governor Reynaldo Tamayo told Reuters at least one person was dead and four wounded but provided no details on the shooter or casualties. Police had earlier confirmed a shooting had taken place.

A student last month live-streamed himself shooting and killing another student in a classroom in Zamboanga before taking his own life.

In June, at least three students were killed and about 20 others injured an attack at a public high school in Tacloban, where two classmates opened fire on campus.

Philippine student live-streamed fatal school shooting before taking own life, official says

The Philippines has relatively strict gun ownership regulations, including background checks and psychological evaluation requirements, although illegal firearms remain in circulation.

The incident also follows a high-profile incident in Thailand in August, where a student went on a shooting rampage at a school on the outskirts of the capital Bangkok.