Teachers' group condemns shooting of teacher 'in front of students'
The Alliance of Concerned Teachers in Northern Mindanao (ACT-10) calls on the Department of Education (DepEd) to exhaust all measures to bring justice to an elementary teacher in Valencia City, Bukidnon who was shot inside her classroom on Tuesday.
The teachers group condemned what it called the worst attack on its union "as it comes at a time when teachers have been growing in strength for a salary increase."
"We will not let teacher Zhydee be just another figure in the growing list of victims of violence, extrajudicial killings, and rights violation of Duterte's state policy of killing the poor and the masses who are fighting for their rights. We challenge President Duterte who has made grand claims of his love for teachers as a son of one to address the growing attacks," it said.
ACT-Northern Mindanao said teacher Zhydee Cabañellez was shot by 4 masked men on the chest and twice on the feet, in front of his students at Dalit Elementary School.
The group said Cabañellez was an Outstanding Teacher Awardee in 2017.
Meanwhile, Valencia City Police Chief Lt. Col. Surki Sereñas said they are looking into an information they received that the attack was the handiwork of the New People's Army (NPA).
According to sources, the couple's involvement in the government and rumored "surrender" to the military is likely the reason behind the shooting.
Sources also said the wife is the daughter of Zaldy Bitago, an alleged member of the Guerilla Front-6, North Central Mindanao Regional Command (NCRMC) of the NPA.