Three dead and eight injured in Philippines school shooting

A shooting at a high school in southern Philippines has left at least one person dead and several injured.

The incident happened on Friday afternoon at Banga National High School in South Cotabato, in Mindanao province.

Local media and officials have reporting conflicting casualty figures. The identities of the shooter and the victims have not been confirmed.

The Department of Education said in a statement that it was "deeply concerned by the reported shooting incident".

"Our immediate priority is the safety and well-being of our learners, teachers and school personnel," the statement said, adding it was coordinating with authorities to verify the incident and provide necessary support.

"We urge everyone to remain calm and refrain from sharing unverified information as authorities continue their investigation."

South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo told reporters earlier that one person died and four people had been hospitalised. He did not give details on the identity of the shooter, nor did he indicate the shooter was among the dead or injured.

Local media have been reporting much higher casualty figures, citing other Philippine authorities.

Classes have been suspended "in all levels in the entire municipality of Banga" due to the shooting, the Banga disaster management authorities said in a statement.

The Philippine Red Cross said it has deployed medical teams to help out in the aftermath of the shooting.

Police are at the site investigating the shooting, local media reported.

Gun crime is not uncommon in the Philippines, which has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the region - though school shootings remain rare.

In June, three students were killed and more were injured after their peers opened fire at a high school in central Philippines. Investigators believed the deadly shooting had been motivated by a "grudge" over bullying.