Retired principal shot dead

MANILA, Philippines - A retired high school principal was shot dead by one of four motorcycle-riding men while attending the wake of his personal driver in Marikina City Monday.

Fernando Javier, of San Mateo, Rizal was at the wake of Jerry Sanchez, his personal driver for five years, at the St. Peter Memorial Chapel in Barangay Nangka Monday.

He was reading a newspaper when the four men arrived in front of the chapel on two motorcycles at about 7 p.m. Police said one of the men walked into the chapel, pulled out a .45 caliber automatic pistol and shot Javier at close range. The gunman then walked out of the chapel and joined his companions. They fled toward J.P. Rizal street in Barangay Concepcion Uno.

Javier died on the spot from gunshot wounds in the head and chest.

Eastern Police District (EPD) director Chief Superintendent Miguel Laurel ordered the Marikina City police to solve the murder of Javier, who had been receiving death threats but ignored them.

Laurel said Javier survived the first slay try on him in Quezon City last year.

Responding Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) personnel recovered two slugs and three shells from a .45 caliber pistol at the crime scene.

Javier’s son, Jericho, said his father recently retired as principal of the Lagro High School in Quezon City and he strongly believes that the anomalies at the school’s cooperative his father unmasked have something to do with his death.

Last June 8, his father was on his way home and been waiting for a ride in front the National Kidney Institute at about 9 p.m. when motorcycle-riding men shot at him but missed.

Since then, his father frequently received death threats, Jericho said, adding that his father dismissed them.