School principal survives attack after being shot 7 times in Nueva Ecija

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MANILA, Philippines — A school principal in Barangay Sto. Tomas North, Jaen, Nueva Ecija was shot multiple times on Tuesday but survived the attack.

Jaen Municipal Police Station identified the victim as Reden Daquiz, the principal of Sto. Tomas North Elementary School.

According to municipal police chief Master Sergeant Junard Yoyo, Daquiz was about to enter the vicinity of the school when two gunmen on board a motorcycle fired shots at his car at around 7:20 a.m.

“Nangyari po yan nang ano, 7:20 [a.m.], ganyan. Umaga. Pasukan po,” Yoyo told INQUIRER.net over the phone.

(The incident happened at 7:20 in the morning when classes were about to start.)

Police said seven cartridge cases of fired bullets were recovered at the scene.

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Based on the initial police reports, Daquiz was hit in the side of his body and arms.

Yoyo said that the lead and possible motive behind the shooting remained to be established.

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He also mentioned that teachers of the school reported earlier that their classes were still suspended.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education condemned the shooting.

“The Department is coordinating with the concerned field offices and the police to apprehend the perpetrators of this brutal crime,” it said on its Facebook page.

Daquiz is now recovering at the Nueva Ecija Medical Center.

JPV