MANILA, Philippines — A high school principal in Batangas province was in critical condition after motorcycle-riding gunmen ambushed her Tuesday morning in Lipa City.
The attack on Emily Mallari of the Alitagtag National High School prompted Education Secretary Leonor Briones to voice concern over recent violence on personnel of the department.
On Monday evening, Marcom Brongan, a newly-installed schools division superintendent, was gunned down at the Teacher’s Center in San Jose Heights in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur.
Briones said Mallari was driving her car when she was attacked in Purok 4, Barangay Pinagtongulan, Lipa.
The wounded principal was rushed to a hospital by barangay tanod.
“DepEd strongly reiterates its firm stand against all acts of violence and extends the same call for the safety and protection of its learners, teachers and personnel in and outside school,” Briones said in a statement.