Gov’t teachers condemn killing of soon-to-retire colleague

COTABATO CITY, Philippines – Teachers here condemned the killing of 61-year-old Capistrano Hatague, whom they described as a “good and fatherly” public school teacher of LR Sebastian Elementary School, and called on the authorities to render swift justice.

“We condemn the killing and we want the suspects arrested and prosecuted,” said Maguindanao Schools Superintendent Meriam Kawit.

Councilor Abdullah Andang, former city schools supervisor, said Hatague was “about to retire and it is unfortunate that he ended this way.”

Senior Superintendent Danny Reyes, city police chief, on Tuesday said Hatague was in Rosary Heights Monday on his way home from school to Peñafrancia subdivision when three motorcycle-riding gunmen shot him several times, killing him on the spot.

Reyes, citing initial police investigation, said that a few nights ago, unidentified persons threw stones at the residence of the victim.

“This is one of the leads that we are closely following up. But we have other angles to look into that could be related to his work,” said Reyes.