2 students behind teacher slay: Piñol

KIDAPAWAN CITY - The killers of a 26-year-old public school teacher in M'lang town in North Cotabato were two high school students, who, at their young age are already used to handling guns even inside the campus, the town mayor said.

M'lang Mayor Joselito Piñol said the gunmen of Shernan Mark de Eyoy Duerme were both senior students of M'lang National High School-Annex in Barangay Lepaga, M'lang who allegedly got irked when they were scolded by the victim a week ago during a Citizens' Army Training (CAT) formation.

Duerme was the school's CAT commandant.

Piñol, however, refused to identify the suspects as they were all minors.

"One of the suspects, I suppose, is already used to handling guns. In fact, I was told he is the son of a notorious criminal hiding in the Liguasan marsh near a village in M'lang," Piñol said.

Based on police investigations, the suspects were once reprimanded by Duerme when they were caught bringing a gun inside the campus.

"What was so frustrating at that time was, the teacher failed to report it to the police or to the barangay for immediate action. Mr. Duerme thought it was just a situation which he could handle on his own.
Unfortunately, he didn't," Piñol said.

Both suspects remain at large and are subjects of a police manhunt.

A murder charge was filed against them Monday, Piñol said.

On Thursday, Duerme was on board his Honda XR200 motorcycle on his way to school when the suspects, also on board another motorcycle, shot him dead along the highway in Barangay Bagontapay, M'lang. (Malu Cadelina Manar)