Rizal guidance counselor shot dead in his office

MANILA, Philippines - A guidance counselor of the Pamantasan ng Montalban was gunned down right in his office in Rodriguez, Rizal yesterday, police said.

The victim, Jose Adorable Mas, 48, was entertaining three students about their personal problems when an armed man barged in and shot him five times. Mas died while being treated at the Montalban Infirmary Hospital.

Senior Superintendent Rolando Anduyan, Rizal police director, said a witness tagged a former student of the school as one of the suspects.

“We are now conducting a follow-up operation to determine the true identities of the suspects prior to launching a massive manhunt,” Anduyan said.

Security guard Antonion Ferno said the suspects arrived in the school located at Kasiglahan Village in Barangay San Jose on board an unlicensed black HD Kawasaki motorcycle at 10:15 a.m. yesterday.

Minutes later, five shots rang out from the counselor’s office and the suspects pointed their handguns at Ferno to prevent him from doing anything.

Superintendent Arthur Masungsong, Rodriguez police chief, said they were still determining the motive behind the killing of Mas, who resided in Quiapo, Manila.