Sulu’s second highest education official shot dead

COTABATO CITY, Philippines — A gunman shot dead on Friday afternoon, February 7, in Barangay San Raymundo in Jolo, Sulu a high education official in the island province.

Brig. Gen. Romeo Juan Macapaz, director of the Police Regional Office-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, told reporters on Saturday that Sonatria Dandun Gaspar, assistant schools division superintendent of Sulu, died instantly from multiple bullet wounds in the head.

Gaspar, as Sulu’s assistant schools division superintendent, was the second highest education official in the province.

Her cadaver was transported by boat late Friday to Zamboanga City for immediate burial in keeping with an Islamic tradition of burying the dead within 24 hours after death.

Gaspar was about to leave the fenced compound of their office along Bonifacio Street in San Raymundo in Jolo when a man came close, pulled out a pistol and repeatedly shot her in the head. 

Her assailant hurriedly escaped amid the commotion caused by the gunshots that reverberated through the scene.

Macapaz said he has directed the officials of the Jolo Municipal Police Station and the Sulu Provincial Police Office to cooperate in identifying the killer of Gaspar for prosecution.