School principal survives murder in N. Cotabato

PIKIT, NORTH COTABATO – Unidentified gunmen shot and seriously injured a school principal here Thursday morning while the official was heading for school, police said.

Supt. Bernard Tayong, speaking for police in North Cotabato, said Ritchel Parreno, principal of Bulol National High School – Annex in Barangay Bulol, was driving his motorbike at 7:15 a.m. when attacked.

Parreno was hit on his chest but managed to continue driving until he reached the town proper where he sought help from friends.

He was rushed to a hospital in Midsayap town.

“Manhunt had been launched,” Tayong told the INQUIRER by phone.

Omar Obas, North Cotabato schools division superintendent, condemned the attack and called on the police to dig deeper and institute measures to prevent attacks on educators.

“We pray for him, we hope he will get justice,” Obas said in a radio interview.

Motive of the attack remained unknown./lb