Teachers' deployment to Zambo City island villages stopped after kidnapping

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines-  The Department of Education (DepEd) canceled the deployment of its teachers assigned in the island villages of Zamboanga City with no assurance of their security following the kidnapping of a teacher almost three weeks ago, education officials said.

The teachers assigned in the island villages gathered at the east coast district office instead of reporting to their school of assignment for the first school day of the year. 

Gunmen, suspected to be from a kidnap-for-ransom group with links to the Abu Sayyaf, have been holding captive public school teacher Cathy Mae Casipong since her abduction last Dec. 18 at Sibogtok Elementary School at Limaong Island, east off this city. 

Casipong, along with two other teachers, was on board their service pumpboat on their way back to the mainland after school duty when they were intercepted by the gunmen who took her at gunpoint.

Casipong, 23, single, is a newly hired teacher assigned in the island village and her family has been reportedly directly negotiating with the kidnappers.

There has been no information yet as to how much the ransom demand is in exchange for her safe release, said Pedro Natividad, city school superintendent.

Natividad said the abduction of Casipong prompted them to hold the deployment of their teachers in the island villages.

“If the village officials can not assure their security then we can not risk the safety of our teachers,” Natividad said. 

The school official said village leaders have to ensure first the security of the teachers and students in going to and from the island villages. 

“If they barangay (officials) can’t provide the needed security the teachers will not hold classes because that’s the district’s policy,” said Mercedes school district supervisor Omar Sahi.

Hashim Barta, barangay chairman of Landang Laom, one of the four villages in Sacol Island, said they have already coordinated with the Task Force Zamboanga to deploy soldiers in the island and the establishment of police community action center that will look after the security of the teachers.

Bara, along with his village councilors, held a dialogue with the school officials and affected teachers. He said government militia volunteers assigned in the island should be retrained.