Principal shot in Cotabato as attacks on teachers persist in 2 Mindanao regions

The attack on the school principal in Midsayap, Cotabato, came a week after a teacher was killed by a student in Lanao del Sur, a province in the neighboring BARMM

COTABATO, Philippines – Gunmen shot and wounded a school principal in Cotabato province on Tuesday, August 12, the latest in a string of attacks on teachers and students in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the neighboring Soccsksargen region since 2023.

The attack on Arlyn Dofredo Alcebar, principal of an elementary school in Barangay Agriculture, Midsayap, came a week after a teacher was killed in Lanao del Sur, a province in the BARMM.

On Monday, August 11, the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) expressed alarm as it pointed out that if teachers themselves are being targeted by violence, it raises serious concerns that schools may be even less safe for young children.

Police said Alcebar, a resident of Barangay Poblacion 5, was driving her SUV past 7 am when at least two men on a motorcycle overtook her vehicle and opened fire with a caliber .45 pistol.

Initial investigation showed the victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was rushed to the Dr. Amado B. Diaz Provincial Foundation Hospital. Authorities recovered eight used cartridges and a slug from the scene.

“They are reviewing CCTV footage from the area for a possible identification of the perpetrators,” said Brigadier General Romeo Macapaz, police director for Region XII.

He said police have coordinated with the Army’s 34th Infantry Battalion and stepped up checkpoint operations. 

The motive for the shooting remains under investigation, and security has been provided for the victim and at the school.

The attempt on the life of Alceber came following the August 4 killing of 34-year-old teacher Danilo Barba at Balabagan Trade School in Lanao del Sur, which has shocked the education community. 

Police said Barba was shot by a 20-year-old Grade 11 student, identified as “Kaizer,” after failing him in a subject. The suspect admitted to the crime, and the school temporarily closed following the incident.

Since early 2023, several shootings have targeted teachers and students in BARMM and Soccsksargen. Some of the teachers include the following:

• Mamadatu Dalandas, a school headteacher of Datu Tecson Elementary School, Mamasapano, Maguindanao del Sur, was ambushed and killed by motorcycle-riding gunmen while riding his motorbike on January 22, 2024.
• Aurora Bayog Lida, an acting principal, and Maria Corazon Tagacay, a teacher, survived a daylight ambush while on their way to school in Kapinpilan, BARMM-SGA on August 20, 2024. Lida was wounded, while Tagacay was unscathed.
• Yasser Mama Abdullah, a teacher and barangay treasurer, was shot dead outside the Noorul Eilm Academy Foundation in Pikit, Cotabato, on December 19, 2024.
• Dr. Alamansa Ambiton, a school principal and district supervisor, was shot by motorcycle riders in Rajah Buayan, Maguindanao del Sur, on June 10, 2025. 

Young students have also been among the dead. In February 2023, 13-year-old Grade 7 student Fahad Dianalan Guintawan was killed and two of his classmates were wounded in an attack in Pikit, Cotabato, disrupting classes. Two days later, 15-year-old Grade 9 student Justine Ababon was shot dead in another attack in the same town.

Authorities have yet to establish clear motives for most of the attacks. Education officials have condemned the killings and urged tighter security.

Gun violence, clan rivalries and loose firearms have long plagued parts of BARMM and Soccsksargen, fueling recurring attacks. – Rappler.com