Public school teacher, ACT member, shot ‘in front of school kids’ in Bukidnon

A 34-year-old public school teacher was shot by masked gun men in Valencia City, Bukidnon on Tuesday.

Police investigators identified the victim as Zhaydee Cabañalez, 34, of Purok 8, Sinabuagan, Valencia City.

According to the victim's husband Ramil, the incident happened at 8 a.m. outside the Dalit Elementary School where she taught.

Zhaydee was was brought to the Adventist Medical Center for treatment and is now in stable condition.

Ramil told investigators that four males wearing bonnets waited outside the school until the victim went out of the premises.

The suspects shot the victim several times.

Ramil said the gunmen also shot at him but he managed to duck and take cover.

Nine empty .45 caliber shells were recovered at the crime scene.

Sitio Dalit in Lumbayao, according to the police, is more or less 20 kilometers from the city proper.

It may be accessed through rafts on the Pulangi River.

The authorities said it was a known New People's Army-infiltrated area.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines condemned the attack on Zhaydee, whom it described as a teacher-unionist.

"The vicious attack happened around 8:00am, during the school’s flag ceremony at Dalet Elementary School in Barangay Lumbayao, Valencia City, Bukidnon, with several witnesses—including school children—around," ACT said in a statement.

Cabañelez is the 2016 Outstanding Teacher awardee in her barangay and is also a vigorous union member who have been campaigning for the advancement of the welfare of teachers and of the people.

"Following months of profiling, red-tagging, vilification, threats, and harassment, ACT sees this as the worst attack yet on the union," ACT said.

"It is worth noting that this strike comes at a time when teachers have been growing in strength and uniting en masse for a substantial salary increase," it added.

"If this is an attempt to sow fear among teachers who assert for their rights and to quell the burgeoning fight for decent pay, then we urge the government to pay closer attention to the lessons of history—state fascism only breeds resistance among the people." ACT said. —NB, GMA News