Expelled student shoots principal in SCotabato

MANILA, Philippines - A high school principal in South Cotabato died after being shot by a 17-year-old teenager who had just been expelled from school, police said Friday. Senior Superintendent Robert Kiunisala, South Cotabato police director, identified the fatality as Ricardo dela Cruz, a principal at the Suralla National Agricultural School. Initial investigation showed that Dela Cruz was at the school gate about 7:20 a.m. Friday when the suspected gunman shot him once. Though wounded, Dela Cruz was still able to run back inside the school but the suspect followed him and shot the victim two more times. The suspect then fled the crime scene on board a bicycle toward the direction of their house. Dela Cruz was rushed to the South Cotabato Provincial Hospital where he expired after sustaining gunshot wounds to his chest and arm. Senior Police Officer (SPO) 1 William Kanapi, chief investigator at the Suralla Police, said the attack was connected to the suspect's recent expulsion from the school. Kanapi said the suspect was still able to enroll last June but was expelled last month "dahil sa mga kabulastugang ginawa niya (due to his misbehavior)." Police said the shooting incident was planned and that the suspect had been staking out at the school moments before the assault. "Pinaghandaan talaga ang nangyari. Inabangan talaga bago mag-start ang klase tapos binaril nang makita siyang (Dela Cruz) lumabas," Kanapi told GMANews.TV by phone. Investigation showed that Dela Cruz had been receiving death threats from the suspect since the latter’s expulsion. "Nagbanta na ito sa biktima na hindi na nga raw siya paaabutin ng buhay bago mag birthday," Kanapi said. Dela Cruz would have celebrated his birthday on October 23. Kanapi said that a police team had been sent to the residence of the suspect to check if he is there. Murder charges would be filed against the assailant if ever he is captured, the police officer said. - GMANews.TV