Execs suspend classes after bloodshed in Negros school

BACOLOD CITY—The Department of Education (DepEd) provincial office suspended classes at Trinidad Elementary School in Pontevedra town, Negros Occidental, after the deaths of two teachers in a gun attack there.

Juliet Jeruta, schools superintendent of Negros Occidental, said nurses of the DepEd with training in stress debriefing were to meet with teachers and pupils who had been traumatized by the act of violence.

Fun activities

“We will conduct fun activities at the school first to help the children get over their trauma,” she said.

On Monday, teacher Harold Salas, 37, shot and killed a fellow teacher, Jojit Gaudiel, 41 at the school grounds.

Gaudiel, according to Senior Inspector Mary Rose Pico, Pontevedra police chief, was about to board his motorcycle when Salas, armed with two .38 cal. revolvers, arrived and started pulling the trigger of one of his guns, aiming at Gaudiel.

The first attempt by Salas to shoot Gaudiel failed after the gun apparently jammed. Salas’ attempt to shoot another teacher, who shouted at Gaudiel to run for his life, was also unsuccessful as the gun apparently jammed again.

Second gun

Using the second gun, Salas ran after Gaudiel, caught up with the victim and shot him in the head, according to Pico. After shooting Gaudiel, Salas pointed the gun to his head and shot himself, dying on the spot, Pico said.

Gaudiel was rushed to Pablo O. Torre Medical Center in this city where he died.

Teachers turned over to the police the two .38 cal. revolvers that Salas had been carrying.

Pico said police recovered four spent and six dud bullets from the crime scene.

The police chief said teachers and pupils at the school were in a state of shock as a result of the bloodshed.