Seminarian in Eastern Samar Goes on Rampage, Attempts to Set Seminary on Fire

BORONGAN, Eastern Samar — A seminarian from the Nativity of Our Lady College Seminary allegedly went on a rampage on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, attempting to set parts of the seminary building on fire and injuring several of his fellow seminarians.

According to the seminary, the student had shown signs of a mental health crisis before the incident occurred. Local police quickly responded to the emergency call, preventing further damage and ensuring the safety of the seminary community.

Some seminarians were hurt in the incident, but their parents chose not to press charges against the attacker, citing compassion for his condition and the hardships faced by his family. The seminarian was immediately taken to a psychiatric facility in Tacloban City for urgent treatment. Meanwhile, other seminarians were provided with psycho-social debriefing to help them recover from the traumatic event.

Several of the injured are reported to be recuperating at the Eastern Samar Provincial Hospital.

Official Statement from Seminary Formators and Parents

The Nativity of Our Lady College Seminary released an official statement on Thursday, signed by both seminary formators and parents of the seminarians:

STATEMENT OF THE NATIVITY OF OUR LADY COLLEGE SEMINARY FORMATORS AND PARENTS OF SEMINARIANS

We, the formators and parents of our college seminarians, collectively deplore the unforeseen and unfortunate incident last August 27, 2025, at the Nativity of Our Lady College Seminary in which a seminarian, showing signs of a mental health crisis, tried to burn some parts of our building, harass and wound some of his brother seminarians.

We thank our local police authorities for promptly responding to our immediate call for intervention in the emergency. We commend them also for taking appropriate action to secure the seminary and all its residents, including the challenged seminarian.

Putting everyone’s welfare as the foremost consideration, parents of seminarians wounded in the incident decided not to press charges against the attacker, taking note of his current mental crisis and his family’s difficult social conditions. Instead, together with the seminary formators and other parents, they have decided to help him avail of a psychiatric intervention.

For the other seminarians it has also been decided that they be given psycho-social debriefing to aid their own recovery needs. As of yesterday, August 27, 2025, the challenged seminarian was in a psychiatric facility in Tacloban City; many thanks to Dr. Patricia Apita. Dr. Apita also generously gave her services to facilitate an initial psycho-social debriefing of our college seminarians on the same day.

Trusting in the healing power of God’s love that He has also gifted to each one of us as His instruments, and asking for the intercession of our Patroness, Our Lady of the Nativity, for our needs, we the undersigned support this statement.

The seminary community is now focusing on recovery while extending prayers for healing and peace.