Balabagan, Lanao del Sur — The suspect in the broad daylight killing of a Balabagan Trade School teacher, originally reported as an unidentified gunman, has been identified as a 20-year-old Grade 11 student who later surrendered to authorities.
The victim, Danilo Barba, 34, a known member of the LGBTQI community and a respected educator, was gunned down on the morning of August 4, 2025, at the gate of the school in Barangay Narra. Police said the suspect, identified only by the alias “Kaizer,” admitted to the crime, claiming he acted out of anger after failing Barba’s subject — a setback that allegedly jeopardized his enrollment for Grade 12.
According to Lanao del Sur Police Provincial Director Col. Caesar Cabuhat, the suspect approached Barba as he was entering the school around 8:00 a.m. and shot him in the head with a caliber .45 pistol. The teacher died instantly, and the assailant fled to Marogong town to hide among relatives.
The following day, Kaizer surrendered through the help of his elder brother, a police officer, along with other family members and traditional Maranao community leaders. Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman, director of the Police Regional Office–Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, confirmed that the suspect is now under the joint custody of the Balabagan Municipal Police Station and the local government, as he is considered a minor under the law.
Investigators said that while Kaizer had also failed in other subjects, he singled out Barba as the focus of his resentment. The killing has raised deep security concerns among the school community, especially during the ongoing enrollment period. Authorities have since deployed police and military personnel to secure the campus.
Barba’s death has sparked grief, outrage, and renewed calls for justice from residents, civil society groups, and human rights advocates. The Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) – BARMM earlier issued a statement condemning the killing, describing Barba as a “dedicated teacher” whose death is “both painful and unacceptable.”
The suspect now faces a murder charge, and police continue to investigate to ensure all circumstances surrounding the incident are fully established.