Isabela teacher shot dead in her home

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines – A female public school teacher in San Guillermo, Isabela failed to report for election duty yesterday, as a ski mask-wearing man gunned her down in her home Sunday night.

Senior Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr., Isabela police director, said probers were eyeing land dispute and personal grudge as possible motives behind the killing of May Aquinde, 36.

Ramos said the gunman, armed with a 12-gauge shotgun and a .38-caliber revolver, first accosted Aquinde’s husband Elmer who was playing billiard near their house in Barangay Guam, and their 13-year-old son and told them to go inside their house.

Upon seeing Aquinde, the man shot her in the right temple, killing her on the spot.

Senior Inspector Richard Babaran, San Guillermo police chief, said they were not concluding that the Aquinde slay was election-elected as other angles were being pursued.

Elsewhere in Isabela, seven men wearing ski masks waylaid a certain Angel Cauan, 53, while on his way home on his motorcycle in Jones town Sunday night.

Police said Cauan was able to flee his attackers and brought himself to a hospital for his bullet wounds.

Two incidents of indiscriminate firing, meanwhile, were reported in Gamu and Palanan towns.

In Gamu, a certain Orlino Salvador, said to be a supporter of Mayor Fernando Cumigad, was held after he fired his gun Sunday night.

In Palanan, unidentified men fired shots in Marikit village and left threatening notes with M-14 bullets attached. – With Non Alquitran