MAPANDAN – After only three days of the new school year, a public school principal was gunned down and killed along the road in barangay Aserda here at about 5:50 pm. Wednesday.

Tessie Morante, 57, mother of three and principal of the Golden Elementary School here, who was on board a motorized tricycle along with a school teacher, was shot by two suspects wearing crash helmets and riding tandem on board a motorcycle.

A companion of the victim seated by the outer portion of the tricycle, identified as Myra de la Peña, 27, a teacher of Golden Elementary School, was unscathed and was so shocked after the shooting.

The driver of the tricycle ferrying both teachers identified as Victorino Lopez, was also unhurt.

Morante sustained two gunshot wounds in the back and one on the right ear and was declared dead on arrival at the Mapandan Municipal Hospital.

The gunman used a cal. 45 pistol as evidenced by one fired cartridge, a deformed slug and one metal jacket of cal. 45 pistol found at the crime scene.

Two bullet holes were noted by investigators at the back of the tricycle. The bullets were believed the same ones that hit Morante in the back.

Chief Inspector Leonardo Tamondong, chief of police of Mapandan, said Morante and Lalas were already going home after a dance rehearsal at the Torres Elementary School in barangay Torres when the incident happened.

He said they have no lead yet as to the motive of the slaying and are still in the process of identifying possible witnesses.

Phillip Lalas, elder brother of the victim, said the family is puzzled why his sister was killed at all, describing her as a good school administrator and a stickler for discipline.

Lyn Lalas, daughter of the victim, said her father Alfredo, has sought the help of the National Bureau of Investigation to help solve the slaying of her mother.

From Lyn’s own account, her mother received a message thru her cell phone sometime in May a text message cursing her for a possible act that may have happened in the past but her mother merely ignored it.

Tamondong said they gathered information that before the incident, Morante’s family noticed a taho vendor frequenting their area.

Mapandan Mayor Jose Ferdinand Calimlim condemned the slaying of the school principal and ordered the police to do their best to find the killers at all cost.