Teacher, robbed of motorbike, hit, pushed into cliff, survives

COTABATO CITY – In her determination to survive, a public school teacher in Pigcawayan, North Cotabato escaped death after a violent attack by robbers Monday morning.

Riza Montegrande-Moreno, 38, a teacher and resident of Barangay Kabpangi, Pigcawayan was on her way to Payong-Payong Elementary School-Annex, a primary school situated atop a mountain of Barangay Payong-Payong in Pigcawayan town.

PO1 Janeth Bueno, Pigcawayan PNP investigator on the case, said Moreno had been regularly going to the far-flung village teaching Grades 1 and 2 pupils.

At 7:45 a.m. on Monday, Moreno was driving her motorbike along the uphill portion of the village when two men stopped her.

Bueno said the suspects at first borrowed the motorbike from the teacher who, without hesitation, handed them the key. The suspects appeared to be familiar with the teacher.

Suddenly, one of the suspects hit the teacher’s head with a stone while the other pushed her into a 50-foot cliff and sped away with her motorbike.

Still wobbly, Moreno slowly climbed up until another motorist passed by and rushed her to Garcesa hospital in Barangay Poblacion. She suffered head injuries and bruises on her hands and legs.

Pigcawayan North District Supervisor Judy Aclaracion condemned the attack on Moreno and recommended that she be given a six-month rehabilitation leave with pay.

Dr. Allan Farnazo, DepEd 12 regional director, called on the police for speedy investigation.