Teacher slain in Zamboanga attack honored: Noy orders PMS to help families of victims

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines  – Education officials yesterday honored a public elementary school teacher here for giving up her life as she shielded her students from a former rape convict who went on a stabbing spree last Friday, killing two others and wounding six more.

Education Undersecretary Rizalino Rivera paid tribute to Lorna Pulalon, a Grade 2 teacher at the Talisayan Elementary School, after visiting her wake, accompanied by Mayor Celso Lobregat.

Pulalon sustained stab wounds in the back that were inflicted by former convict Fely Mateo, 51.

Two other teachers, Ludivina Balilo and Joni Torres, both handling Grade 5 classes, were wounded in the attack.

“These teachers are heroes. The Department of Education honors their bravery. Pulalon behaved admirably to shield our students from harm,” Rivera said.

At Malacañang, President Aquino instructed the Presidential Management Staff (PMS) to provide assistance to the families of those who were killed and wounded in the incident.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said PMS chief Julia Abad would look into the conditions of the victims and determine the help that the government could give their families.

Valte expressed Malacañang’s condolences to the families of Pulalon and the two other fatalities, Cess Dorine Orpiano, 12, a Grade 6 student; and guardian Ruben Flores, 64.

Valte said the incident should prompt the government to review its rules in granting convicts freedom.

“Of course, sometimes it’s hard to detect (the state of a convict after going out of jail) but if we put enough safeguards in place for the screenings of convicts who are eligible for parole or pardon, we can avoid these incidents better,” Valte said.

She said she was particularly touched by the case of Pulalon, who was her family’s breadwinner and was supposed to get married in two months.

Valte noted that Pulalon recently turned down a bribe offer from a candidate, as she was assigned to man the barangay polls.

“It’s unfortunate that we lost someone like her in such a violent manner,” she said.

Rivera said Pulalon shielded her students as a knife-wielding Mateo barged inside their classroom and began attacking the children. She took all the knife blows, killing her on the spot.

Valte said the incident was saddening especially because children were among the victims.

Four Grade 6 pupils were also wounded in the attack: Joshua Demco, 11; Maria Lyka Basing, 12; Princess Briones, 12; and Michaela Jacona, 12.

Valte said the education department would also assist the victims’ families.

Rivera said they would coordinate with the departments of health and social welfare and development to extend psychosocial help to the teachers and students who may have been traumatized by the incident.

Senior Superintendent Edwin de Ocampo, city police chief, said they could not find any motive behind the attack, except that Mateo “appeared to be a psycho.”

Citing Mateo’s criminal records, De Ocampo said he was involved in a string of cases from rape and murder to robbery-in-band.

Mateo was subdued and killed by residents who responded to the attack.

Rivera said the incident was an isolated case, adding though that schools would surely adopt measures to avoid such occurrences.  – With Aurea Calica