Teacher shot dead in front of students in North Cotabato

COTABATO CITY, Philippines—Unidentified gunmen shot dead a public school teacher while he was holding a class with his pupils in a public school in President Roxas town in North Cotabato on Tuesday.

Senior Insp. Romy Castanares, President Roxas police chief, identified the victim as Marato Dilangalen Ampatuan, 49, a teacher of the Datu Sundungan Elementary School in President Roxas town and resident of Barangay Bulit, Kabacan, North Cotabato.

Castanares said a 10-year-old girl and Grade 5 pupil he only identified as ‘Josie” was wounded in the attack.

Castanares, quoting witnesses, said four men arrived at the school campus at 2 p.m. on board two motorcycles and went straight to Ampatuan’s Grade 5 classroom.

Without provocation, one of the men shot the teacher in front of his horrified students.

Ampatuan was hit in the head and fell on one of his pupils. But the gunman fired more shots that also wounded the pupil.

The four men then fled while other teachers rushed him and the pupil to the hospital where he was declared dead on arrival. The girl remains in the hospital.

Police recovered nine empty shells for a .45-cal. pistol at the crime scene.

Castanares said investigation was still going on to determine if it was work related or a family feud, locally known as “rido.”