DepEd shocked at reported beheading of kidnapped Sulu principal

Pasig City (9 November) — The Department of Education (DepEd) today expressed shock at the reported beheading of kidnapped principal Gabriel Canizares, following reports that the severed head of the abducted school head of Patikul, Sulu was recovered in the vicinity of Caltex in Jolo at 5:30am today.

Canizares, 36, was kidnapped last October 19 at around 4:20pm. He was the principal of Kanague Elementary School of Patikul, Sulu, according to DepEd officials.

In a statement released today to media, DepEd said: “The entire DepEd family is shocked and grieves with the family of one of our best-performing principals, Mr. Gabriel Canizares. A key catalyst in teacher trainings with Synergia in Sulu, he is a great loss to efforts to improve the quality of education of our children in the area. We condemn this heinous act committed against the people of ARMM. Violence creates more sufferings and sabotaging education by harming teachers will have dire consequences in the attainment of peace and progress.” (DepEd)