Justice sought for teacher shot to death in La Union

BACNOTAN, La Union -- A federation of teachers on Tuesday condemned the shooting of their fellow teacher who was shot dead here Monday outside the entrance of the Bacnotan National High School by  still unidentified assailants.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines, in a statement, strongly condemned the killing of Andrew Glenn D. Quinto, a Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) teacher at the BNHS.

The ACT urged the Dept. of Education to “do everything in its power to bring justice” to the victim and his family.

As the classes in public schools resumed after the three-week Christmas vacation, ACT said the teachers and students of BNHS were welcomed by the “tokhang-style killing” of Quinto outside their school.

“Quinto was manning the school gate when, at around 6:50 a.m. on Monday, unidentified assailants gunned him to death,” the group said.

A local report said the victim was allegedly involved in illegal drugs in the province.

In Camp Diego Silang, San Fernando City, Police Maj. Silverio said thevictim was standing just outside the school at about 6:46 a.m. when an unidentified suspect alit from a white van, approached the victim then shot him in the head and body.

The assailant immediately fled after the incident.

Bacnotan police raised a flash alarm for several nearby police outposts to conduct checkpoint and dragnet operations.

It was learned that Quinto was earlier arrested by members of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and PNP after he was allegedly caught in possession of shabu during the implementation of a search warrant in February last year.

Quinto had been on the list of high-value targets since the last semester of 2018, according to information officer Bismarck Bengwayan of PDEA region 1. – With a report from Erwin Beleo