MANILA, July 4 — Education Secretary Leonor Briones has expressed great concern over recent incidents of violence against personnel of the Department of Education (DepEd), the latest of which was the attempt on the life of a high school principal from San Jose, Batangas on Tuesday morning.
In a statement, Briones said Emily Mallari, principal of Alitagtag National High School, was driving her car when unidentified persons on a motorcycle fired at her as she was passing Purok 4, Barangay Pinagtongulan, Lipa City.
She said that based on the Lipa City Police report, Mallari was wounded and lost control of the steering wheel and swerved to the roadside. She was rushed to the hospital by a ‘barangay tanod’ and is in critical condition.
“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 the statement.
She said the department is coordinating with Schools Division of Batangas Superintendent Carlito Rocafort and the local police in looking into the incident and in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
Earlier, Briones also ordered a probe into the killing of newly installed schools division superintendent Marcom Borongan, who was gunned down at the Teacher’s Center in San Jose Heights in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur on Monday evening. (MLMG/PNA)
READ: DepEd’s statement on the attempt on the life of a Batangas principal
