Elementary school principal killed in Pangasinan

Motorcycle-riding gunmen on Wednesday afternoon killed an elementary school principal in Mapandan town in Pangasinan, three days after the resumption of classes, GMANews.TV learned Thursday. Authorities identified the fatality as Tessie Morante, 57, principal of Golden Elementary School in Barangay (village) Golden in Mapandan. The attackers struck at around 5:50 p.m. while Morante and teacher Myra dela Peña, 27, were on their way home on board a tricycle, police said. Initial investigation showed that two men trailed the victim's tricycle, driven by Vic Lopez, 31, and eventually opened fire at Morante. "She had just come from a meeting at the neighboring Torres Elementary School. She was with another teacher on board a tricycle when the men followed her on board their motorcycle," radio reports quoted Chief Insp. Leonardo Tamondong, Mapandan police director, as saying. Morante sustained five gunshot wounds, three of them on the nape. One of the bullets exited through her ear. The two remaining bullets entered her chest, with one bullet exiting her chest. Authorities recovered a deformed .45-cal. shell and a bullet from the crime scene. It was not immediately clear if Dela Peña and Lopez were injured in the attack. "Ms. dela Peña is the key to helping us identify the suspects, who wore helmets. But as of now she is still shaken, Tamondong said. Tamondong said they have received reports that teachers at the Golden Elementary School launched protest actions against Morante over the slain principal's alleged flawed management style.-GMANews.TV