Teacher guns down principal

BACOLOD CITY , Philippines  â€” A 40-year-old male elementary school principal from Pontevedra town, Negros Occidental was shot to death by his 37-year-old male teacher yesterday morning inside the school campus, in front of some pupils.

Senior Insp. Mary Rose Salve Pico, Pontevedra Police chief, told The Freeman that the victim, Jojit Gaudiel, acting principal of Trinidad Elementary School in Brgy. Don Salvador Benedicto, was shot in the head by his teacher, Harold Salas, at 10:20 am.

Salas, who looked depressed because of work-related problem, also shot himself, Pico said, adding that Gaudiel was rushed to the Valladolid District Hospital and then moved to Riverside Medical Hospital in Bacolod, where he died about two hours later.

Salas was also taken to Pontevedra Municipal Health Center but he was declared dead on arrival, said Pico.

Two fully loaded home-made .38-caliber revolvers were found in Salas' possession after the crime, she added. They also found in Salas' pants four empty shells and six dart bullets, which implied he had fired his gun twice.

Some sources said Salas had a problem with his lovelife, but Pico said this angle did not come up in their investigation.

Pico said Gaudiel was about to drive his motorcycle outside the principal's office to go to the district office, when he was shot by Salas. The gun failed to fire, prompting Gaudiel to run, but Salas fired at him again, this time hitting the principal in the head, she said.

Afterwards, Salas went to the room of another teacher, Ernie Espadero, where the gunman shot himself. Separate sources said Espadero, who was not around, was Salas' alleged rival in courting a lady.

Pontevedra Mayor Jose Ma. Alonso yesterday said he learned that Gaudiel and Salas had no personal problem between the two.

Alonso said he will provide financial assistance to Gaudiel's family. He was survived by his wife, also a teacher in Brgy. Miranda, and children, he said.

The mayor said they will conduct a stress debriefing to the pupils of Trinidad Elementary School, who must have been traumatized by the incident. School officials could not be reached for comment as of press time.  (FREEMAN)