BY REINIR PADUA

A UNIVERSITY professor was gunned down at 3:30 pm yesterday inside his classroom at the University of Eastern Philippines in Catarman, Northern Samar.

The human rights group Karapatan said Jose Maria Sui, also chairman of the university-based anti-corruption network called Act-Now, was shot dead by an unidentified assailant while supervising an examination.

Karapatan said Sui, also former secretary general of the group Katungod, is the 820th victim of political killing since President Arroyo assumed office in 2001.

Katrina Castillo, secretary general of Katungod, which is a local chapter of Karapatan, said Sui died on the spot from gunshot wounds in the head and chest.

She said the gunman was about four meters away from the victim when he opened fire.

The assailant, who was on a motorcycle, was able to enter the classroom as the university has an open campus, she said.

Castillo said Maj. Gen. (ret.) Jovito Palparan, during his stint in Samar in 2004, conducted a "smear campaign" against Sui by tagging him as a ranking member of the New People’s Army.