A Department of Education official recently assigned in Zamboanga Del Sur was gunned down during his turnover ceremony, Monday.

"Marcom Borongan, the newly installed Schools Division Superintendent (SDS) of Zamboanga Del Sur, was gunned down in San Jose Elementary School in Pagadian City during a thanksgiving and turnover ceremony on the evening of July 3," the DepEd said in a statement.

The education department has sent its condolences and monetary assistance to the family of Borongan, the statement read.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones called on authorities to "prudently identify and arrest the perpetrators" of the crime that took place inside a school that was supposed to be a "zone of peace."

DepEd officials in the Zamboanga region were also instructed to "closely monitor the developments on the case" and work closely with "local officials and law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety of personnel and to maintain a peaceful communities for learners."