A school shooting in Banga, in the southern Philippine province of Mindanao, left two students dead and eight others injured Friday after a 16-year-old student opened fire before killing himself.
The two students who were killed were both 14 years old, according to the local mayor.
The shooting happened at Banga National High School, where police coordinated with school officials and medical responders to ensure the safety of students and staff affected by the incident, according to the Philippine National Police.
Police said authorities are still verifying the full details of the incident, including those involved, their conditions and the possible motive for the shooting.
The Department of Education said in a statement that it was “deeply concerned” by the reported incident, which took place Friday afternoon at Banga National High School.
The PNP is working with Police Regional Office 12 and the South Cotabato Police Provincial Office as authorities continue gathering information about the shooting.
Police have not yet released further details about what led to the shooting or provided additional information about the victims and those involved.
The PNP urged the public not to spread unverified information, photos or videos related to the incident while the investigation continues.
Authorities said their priority is ensuring the safety of students and staff at the school while investigators work to establish what happened.
Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla confirmed that the father of the suspected shooter is a disaster risk management officer for the local government and was reportedly the owner of the firearm used in the incident, according to ABS-CBN.
The shooting is the third deadly school shooting reported in the Philippines this year.