ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanews/26 March) – An education official has appealed to the police and military and local government officials in Zamboanga Sibugay to provide security to teachers who are facing threats of kidnapping.
“Please protect our teachers, they need you,” said Amelia Torralba, Assistant Schools Divisions superintendent at the Department of Education (DepEd) Assistant Schools Division Superintendent for Zamboanga Sibugay.
Torralba appealed for help Tuesday during the turnover of two new school buildings in Barangay Tigpalay, Tungawan, Zamboanga Sibugay by the Agencia Española de Cooperacion Internacional para el Desarollo (AECID).
The project is a partnership between AECID and the Philippine Business for Social Progras (PBSP).
Torralba said reports have been reaching her office about threats sent through text messages that some teachers would be kidnapped.
A kidnapping incident recently happened in Zamboanga Sibugay.
On March 9, unidentified gunmen seized nine-year-old boy Randelle Talania in front of the Namnama Elementary School in Titay town, while on his way home. The boy’s mother is Namnama Barangay Captain Rosemarie Talania, who according to Director Felicisimo Khu, chief of the Directorate for Integrated Police Operations (DIPO)-West, was a target of a kidnap-for-ransom-group in Zamboanga Sibugay.
On March 13, 2009, three elementary school teachers were kidnapped in Bangkaw-Bangkaw, Naga, Zamboanga Sibugay. They were freed on September 23 of the same year in Barangay Bancuang, Tipo-Tipo, Basilan.
Torralba advised the teachers to exercise caution when reporting for work. (MindaNews)