Negros teachers, pupils undergo stress debriefing after bloodshed

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines – Classes have been suspended this week in an elementary school in Pontevedra, Negros Occidental, as teachers and pupils are undergoing stress debriefing after they witnessed the fatal shooting of their principal and the suicide of the teacher-gunman last Monday morning.

Jojit Gaudiel, 40, acting principal of the Trinidad Elementary School in Barangay Don Salvador Benedicto, Pontevedra town, was shot in the head by teacher Harold Salas, 37, in the school campus. Salas later shot himself in the head, too. 

Police said the teachers and pupils witnessed the bloodshed.

Juliet Jeruta, schools division superintendent of the Department of Education-Negros Occidental Division Office, said their psychiatrist and two nurses conducted a stress debriefing session for the traumatized teachers on Tuesday.

The pupils also underwent stress debriefing, particularly pyscho-social and emotional support, starting yesterday, said Anthony Liobet, assistant schools division superintendent.

Handling the stress debriefing for the pupils are the DepEd, the provincial social welfare and development office, the provincial police, the Pontevedra municipal government, and several volunteer groups.

Jeruta said Education Secretary Armin Luistro called her to inquire about the incident, and to give instructions on how the DepEd could help Gaudiel’s family, and the teachers and pupils of Trinidad Elementary School.

“But even prior to Secretary Luistro’s instruction, the DepEd medical and nursing staff started planning stress debriefing and had done initial steps to help the pupils and the teachers,” she said in a text message to The STAR.

“What the division office embarked on is the expression of condolences through financial assistance and facilitation of documents for burial and survivors’ claims,” she added.

Following the incident, Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. and Vice Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson have called for stricter gun control laws in this province.

Marañon said a stricter gun control law could prevent similar incidents from happening.

For his part, Lacson said, “It was sad. I wish it did not happen that way.”

“Obviously, there was a breach of security in that school. How can a person get into the school carrying firearms?” he added.

As far as the police are concerned, the case is closed.

Senior Inspector Mary Rose Pico, Pontevedra police chief, said she has submitted a final report on the incident to Senior Superintendent Milko Lirazan, acting Negros Occidental police director.

Citing their investigation, Pico said work-related stress and problems in school triggered Salas to snap. But some sources said Salas had a problem with his love life, and a co-teacher was supposedly his rival in his relationship with a co-teacher.

According to Bombo Radyo, Salas, a Grade 5 teacher, was problematic when the parents of his teacher-girlfriend learned about their relationship and reportedly disapproved of it.

Salas got angry with his co-teachers, who he suspected of squealing about their relationship. Bombo Radyo said Salas learned that Gaudiel was reportedly planning to transfer him to another school, purposely to separate him and his teacher-girlfriend.

Citing sources, Bombo Radyo said Salas could have planned to kill Gaudiel, as two fully loaded homemade .38-caliber revolvers were found in his possession after the incident.

They also found in Salas’ pockets four empty shells and six dud bullets, hinting that he had practiced firing his guns before killing Gaudiel, Pico said.

Salas shot Gaudiel as the school principal was about to leave on a motorcycle for a meeting at the DepEd district office, but his gun jammed.

Pico said Salas tried to shoot a female teacher, who had shouted at Gaudiel to run, but the gun again jammed.

Salas then ran after the fleeing Gaudiel and shot him in the head, Pico said. 

Afterwards, Salas went to the classroom of another teacher, Ernie Espadero, to shoot him but he was not in the room. Salas them shot himself in the head.