Student wounded in South Cotabato’s school attack recovering after surgery

KORONADAL CITY — Five days after she was critically wounded in the Banga National High School shooting in South Cotabato, a Grade 9 female student who suffered a gunshot wound in the head is showing signs of recovery.

This development comes after the victim underwent surgery at the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center in Cotabato City.

Rolly Doane Aquino, South Cotabato Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) chief, said Tuesday the victim was already conscious and responsive.

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He also said the student can breathe on her own after doctors removed her mechanical ventilator and intubation tube.

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Aquino reported that the doctors were satisfied with her condition following the operation.

He said the student’s vision, however, remained unclear as of Aquino’s latest visit.

Before the surgery, Aquino said the student was conscious, but could not speak because she was intubated.

He had described the operation as delicate because of the location of her gunshot wound.

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The PDRRMO official has been making trips to Cotabato City to check on the student and determine the needs of her family.

During his latest visit to the intensive care unit, Aquino said the Grade 9 student was able to correctly identify her class adviser when asked.

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She also told him that she did not want to miss school because she was used to attending classes regularly.

Aquino told her to focus on getting well and assured her that authorities would continue to support her recovery.

The girl also asked whether her family would still have to pay her hospital bills.

“Don’t worry about the hospital expenses. We will take care of that,” Aquino recalled telling the girl, referring to assistance being extended by national, regional, provincial and local government agencies.

Despite what she had gone through, the student also asked about her classmates.

Aquino said he withheld some details about the shooting for the meantime to keep her from worrying while she recovers.

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The girl was among the six students wounded in the Sept. 18 shooting at Banga National High School, which also left three dead, including the shooter. /apl