Stray Bullet Kills 5-Year-Old Pupil in Maguindanao School

Stray Bullet Kills 5-Year-Old Pupil in Maguindanao School

By Wilma N. Yamzon – TheNATIONWEEK.com | February 13, 2026

MANILA, Philippines — Grief and outrage have swept through the Datu Piang community in Maguindanao del Sur after a five-year-old kindergarten pupil was fatally struck by a stray bullet inside her classroom at Damabalas Elementary School on Tuesday morning.

The incident, which occurred at about 8 a.m., has ignited calls for a thorough investigation and heightened security measures in the region.

A report by the Datu Piang Municipal Police Station said the victim was attending class when she suddenly collapsed.

Her class advisor, noticing blood on the floor, rushed to the child’s aid and discovered her wound.

The bullet, believed to have originated from a high-powered 7.62 mm firearm, instantly killed the child.

“The scene was heartbreaking,” a witness who asked not to be named told TheNationweek.com.

“To think a child, barely beginning her education, could be taken in such a senseless act of violence is beyond comprehension,” he said.

The class advisor immediately alerted both the child’s parents and local authorities.

Police were investigating the source of the bullet and the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Investigators were looking into the possibilities of accidental discharge, an armed conflict nearby, or reckless gunfire.