Teacher, nurse slain in gun attacks

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — A public school teacher and a government hospital nurse were gunned down in Cotabato and Maguindanao del Norte, respectively, on Friday.

Joel Reformado, 36, and his co-teacher Elton John Lapined were on a motorcycle when they were shot near the Maulanan Elementary School in Pikit town, Lt. Col. John Miridel Calinga, town police chief, said.

Lapined suffered serious injuries and remains confined in a hospital.

In Maguindanao del Norte, Sarifa Gulam, 35, of the Cotabato Sanitarium Hospital and her husband Samir, 35, were in their white Mitsubishi Montero on their way home when they were shot in Barangay Ungap in Sultan Kudarat.

Lt. Col. Julhamin Asdani, Sultan Kudarat police chief, said Sarifa died at the scene while her husband was wounded.