LINGERING TRAUMA: FALSE ALARM TRIGGERS STAMPEDE AT TACLOBAN SCHOOL WEEKS AFTER DEADLY SHOOTING

Courtesy: PNP Tacloban City Police Office

A false alarm triggered widespread panic and a minor stampede at San Jose National High School on Friday morning, July 24, 2026. The incident left several students injured and highlighted the deep psychological scars remaining from a fatal campus shooting just last month.

According to reports from the Tacloban City Police Office, the commotion erupted during an English class presentation inside a Grade 12 building. The panic began when a male student began singing to invite his girlfriend to join him at the front of the room, sparking loud cheers, screaming, and heavy table-banging from his classmates.

Students in adjacent classrooms mistook the sudden screaming and violent vibrations for gunfire. Believing an active shooter had returned to the campus, terrified teenagers broke into a chaotic scramble to flee the school grounds.

The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and local police units immediately rushed to the scene. First responders treated at least three students who sustained minor injuries and bruises after being trampled or tripping in the rush. Multiple other learners were treated for severe hyperventilation, mass hysteria, and sudden shock.

Distraught parents hurried to the campus to rescue their children as school administrators canceled afternoon classes. Although police quickly declared the situation under control and verified that no weapon was involved, the extreme reaction underscores the severe emotional fragility of the student body.

The incident occurred just weeks after a devastating June 22 campus shooting at the exact same school, where two teenage suspects opened fire, killing three students and wounding 20 others. San Jose National High School had only reopened its gates on July 6 under tight security protocols, including new walk-through metal detectors and mandatory psychological first aid.

Local authorities and the Department of Education (DepEd) have urged the public to remain calm and avoid spreading unverified information on social media, which has exacerbated community anxiety following a string of recent online threats targeting other regional schools.