Teacher killed, love angle eyed

CEBU, Philippines - A public school teacher was killed in an ambush shortly before midnight yesterday in Barangay Camboang, Dumanjug.

Police identified the victim as Ariel Antonio Yu Zucena, 45, a teacher of Lawaan Elementary School in Dumanjug.

Initial investigation shows that Zucena was driving a motorcycle  on his way home with his 12-year-old daughter, Annie Rose, as backrider when two unidentified motorcycle-riding men tried to overtake him from the left side upon reaching Dalco farm in sitio Lomboy. The two allegedly stared at him, apparently making sure of the identity of their target, before shooting the victim in the head.

The teacher fell to the ground while the assailants drove nearer to the victim and finished him off with two more shots to the leg and stomach. Zucena died on the spot while his daughter suffered bruises after she was thrown off motorcycle when it fell.

The gunmen were allegedly wearing bonnets to conceal their faces. The victim came from the town proper after attending the Teachers Night, an event for teachers in Dumanjug, which was part of the activities for the town’s annual fiesta celebration on October 3 to 4.

They were on their way home in Barangay Lawaan, just across Barangay Camboang, when the ambush happened at 11:54 pm.

Senior Insp. Cesar Misola, Jr, chief of Dumanjug Police, said they are looking at all angles, although they initially believed that it could be work-related or a love triangle. The victim was separated with his wife to elope with another woman but has recently come back to his wife.

PO3 Dionisio Tagupa, one of the investigators of the case, said somebody could also be harboring personal grudge against Zucena because he had a neighbor arrested in September 18 after he was hit with a barbwire.

Zucena’s daughter will be brought to the Department of Social Welfare and Development for stress debriefing, considering the trauma she suffered from what had happened. The girl did not recognize the suspects, who could be gun-for-hire, said Misola. —(FREEMAN)