IBP says killing is ‘attack to legal community’: Trial lawyer shot dead

CEBU, Philippines —  A lawyer who handled several high-profile cases was shot while outside his office building in Barangay Kasambagan, Cebu City afternoon on Monday, November 23.

Joey Luis Wee, 51, passed away less than an hour later at the hospital where he was rushed to.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Cebu City Chapter confirmed his passing.

"Atty. Joey Luis Wee expired and has joined his Creator. May he rest in peace. We pray for resilience and acceptance in his family. Again, we call for justice," the IBP says in an update.

The IBP also condemned the shooting.

"The attempt to take any life will never be tolerated in a civilized society. The brazen attack to our brother in the legal profession is taken as an attack to the whole legal community. We call upon all concerned agencies of government to immediately address this case and see to it that all perpetrators be brought to justice," it says in an earlier statement.

Initial investigation showed that Wee has just disembarked from his vehicle and was walking to the stairs of his office in Archi Building when two suspects arrived and shot him twice. The suspects fled immediately after on board a motorcycle.

Major Dindo Juanito Alaras, chief of the Mabolo Police Station, confirmed that two bullet wounds were found on Wee’s body.

He said they are gathering information from those who were in the area during the shooting.

Investigation will also look into the cases Wee handled to determine the possible motive behind the killing.

"We will look into the cases he handled to get some leads in our investigation," Alaras said.

Among the high-profile cases Wee handled include the case against 14 former officials of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)-7 in relation to the overpriced purchase of 1,800 lampposts for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit held in Cebu in 2007.

Wee defended the former DPWH officials who were later found guilty administratively for grave misconduct.

The lampposts were installed in the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, and Lapu-Lapu.

Aside from this, Wee also defended agents and civilian assets of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)-7 who were involved in the December 13, 2002 strafing of a van carrying off-duty resort employees.

He was also the lawyer of Rizal, Palawan Mayor Nicolas Montaño Sr. who was accused of rape case in 2010. — Le Phyllis F. Antojado, JMO