The Commission on Human Rights denounces the attempted killing of Teachers Zhaydee and Ramil Cabañalez and condemns all forms of attacks and harassment against members of progressive organisations. The two Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) members were shot in front of their students inside their classroom in Valencia City, Bukidnon by a fully-masked man, leaving Zhaydee with 6 gunshot wounds on her feet, thigh and chest, while Ramil fortunately managed to avoid the attack.

This kind of direct assault to members of education union in broad daylight signifies a deeply concerning situation with respect to their freedom of association and professional freedoms. In connection to this, it is equally alarming that there are several reported cases of killing, threats and harassments against other professional organisations such as lawyers and journalists in Bukidnon and other provinces in Mindanao.

As reports from co-teachers and parents of their students say that there has been no probe launched yet, the Commission calls on our police to conduct an investigation of the crime scene to shed light on the frustrated slay. With the assailant and its motive still unknown, we urge our police to ensure that justice will be served for this attempted murder of the educator couple and to secure that no similar violence will happen again in schools. The ramifications of shootings on school grounds go far beyond those directly involved and have detrimental effects on academic achievement and the social and emotional growth of impacted children.

We seek the help of the Department of Education, Department of Health and the local government unit to ensure that the victims receive proper medical attention, while also providing psychosocial services to students and teachers present during the incident who experienced distress and trauma from witnessing the attack.

The Commission will coordinate closely with ACT in conducting an independent investigation of the case, while we continue to demand the government to secure full protection of the rights and welfare of education workers and other progressive professional organisations pursuing their respective causes.###