Palace ‘embarrassed’ by beheading of school principal in Sulu

A Malacañang spokesman admitted Tuesday that the government is embarrassed by the abduction and beheading of an elementary school principal in Sulu, happening days before the visit to the country of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Press undersecretary and deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez said in a press briefing that the beheading of Gabriel Canizares not only humiliated the government, but also lowered the entire country’s morale. “Hindi naman po natin masasabi na hindi tayo mae-embarrass sa nangyari na iyan pero ang pinakaimportante sa lahat ay ‘yung mga naapektuhan na pamilya and the Department of Education," he said. (We cannot say we were not embarrassed with what happened, but most importantly are those affected families and the Department of Education.) “Kung sino pa iyong nagbubuwis ng kanilang buhay, nagsisilbi at nagseserbisyo para sa pamahalaan, para sa ating mga kababayan, iyon pa ang inuuna na saktan o patayin ng mga bandidong ito," he added. (Sadly, it’s those who give up their serving our government, for our contrymen, they are the first ones that these bandits choose to hurt and kill.) Canizares’ severed head was recovered early Monday at a gasoline station in Sulu, following reports that his family failed to give the P2-million ranson demand by suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits. [See: Abductors behead school principal in Sulu (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/176559/abductors-behead-school-principal-in-sulu)] Canizares was reportedly abducted by 12 fully armed Abu Sayyaf bandits on October 20 while on board a public transport bound for Sulu with his co-teachers. [See: School principal abducted in Sulu (http://www.gmanews.tv/story/175061/school-principal-abducted-in-sulu)] Golez also said he feels that the beheading was done as a retaliatory action against the military and not as a means of sabotaging Clinton’s visit to the Philippines. “Basta masama (ang) hangarin ng isang grupo, ng isang tao, wala po sa timing iyan… So whether may paparating na opisyal o wala, talagang tinutugis na ng Armed Forces of the Philippines iyan," he said. (Any group or person with evil aims will disregard the matter of timing… So whether an official is coming or not, the AFP will naturally hunt them down.) Clinton is set to visit the country on Thursday and Friday, and is expected to visit local relief centers for people affected by recent cyclones that hit the country. Secretary to the Cabinet Silvestre Bello III meanwhile assured the public that the government is doing something to hunt down Canizares’ abductors. “Hindi po tatantanan ng ating mga law enforcement agencies ‘yung mga may kagagawan dyan sa pagpugot sa ulo ni principal Canizares (Our law enforcement agencies will not stop hunting down those responsible for the beheading of principal Canizares). …we will expect some results within the next 24 hours," Bello said. – Andreo C. Calonzo, GMANews.TV