Three students died while seven others were injured in a shooting incident inside school premises in Tacloban City on Monday morning.

In a statement, the Philippine National Police Eastern Visayas regional office said the shooting occurred inside the San Jose National High School in Barangay San Jose, Tacloban City around 9 am.

Based on an initial report, a 9mm Glock pistol owned by a policewoman assigned to Police Regional Office 8 and a .38 caliber revolver registered to a security agency based in Cebu City were fired by two students. A total of 40 shells were recovered by police crime scene investigators.

The victims were immediately transported to nearby medical facilities while the suspects were apprehended on the same day.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Public Information Office Col. Allen Rae Co identified the suspects as alias "Nash", a 14-year-old who is reportedly the nephew of a policewoman who owned the 9mm Glock pistol and alias "Rod", a 15 year-old who fired the caliber .38 Armscor revolver.

"The subject police woman is now under investigation and placed under custody of the regional police office," he said.

"Initially it appears that the motive of the crime is a grudge for school bullying as of now we have recovered 40 empty shells," he added.

In a broadcast interview, Lt. Evalyn Diaz, Tacloban City Police public affairs officer, said one of the injured remain in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) due to critical condition while the others are now in stable condition. Robina Asido/PHS