Canadian shoots dead 2 inside Cebu City court
January 22, 2013 | 10:39am
MANILA, Philippines - A Canadian national shot dead a pediatrician and a lawyer and injured a prosecutor inside a court at Cebu City's hall of justice on Tuesday morning.
Police identified the shooter as John Pope, 65, who is facing a case of malicious mischief before the Municipal Trial Court in Cities Branch 6.
Initial reports said that while the hearing on the case was ongoing inside the MTCC Branch 6 on the fourth floor of the Marcelo Fernan Memorial Hall of Justice, Pope pulled out a firearm and shot the complainant, Dr. Rene Rafols, and his lawyer, Giovanni Achas.
Rafols and Achaf died on the spot.
After shooting the two victims, Pope reportedly proceeded to the MTCC Branch 1, also on the fourth floor of the hall of justice building, and shot Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Maria Teresa "Matet" Casiño.
The shooting happened at past 8 a.m.
The Freeman reported on Twitter that Pope was shot and wounded by a responding policeman, Police Officer 1 Oriel Hagupit. The shooter also shot himself in the head. He died while being treated for his gunshot wounds at the Cebu Doctor's Hospital.
The local newspaper also reported that Casiño was already conscious, but was still under observation at the Chong Hua Hospital. It said doctors have removed two slugs from her head.
Reports said that Pope is also facing other criminal charges and was battling a deportation case.
Hearings at the hall of justice have been temporarily suspended due to the shooting.
Investigators have yet to determine how Pope was able to bring the gun inside the court.
The shooting happened even as the Philippine National Police is implementing a nationwide gun ban because of the mid-term elections in May.
Early this year, a drug crazed man killed seven people during a shooting spree in Cavite province.
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