Filipino lawyer John "Jal" Laylo's remains will be brought home as soon as possible, the Philippine Consul General in New York said.
Philippine Consul General in New York Elmer Cato assured the Laylos that they will be provided assistance as they return home to the country after the tragic shooting incident that killed the lawyer.
"After talking to his mom, Leah, I went up to see Attorney Jal. He had been pronounced dead an hour earlier. I said a prayer for him and assured him that we will do everything we can to bring him home as soon as possible," Cato said on Twitter on Monday, June 20.
Laylo was shot in the head in a random shooting incident in Philadelphia.
His mother, Leah, confirmed his death on a Facebook post, saying her son passed away at 10:33 a.m. (eastern time) on Monday. He was 35.
Leah and John were caught in a random shooting spree while they were in a vehicle over the weekend. They are in the United States for a vacation.
Department of Foreign Affair (DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. also conveyed sympathy over the death of John and assured that the DFA is on standby for any request of support the Philippine Consul General in New York needs to assist the Laylos.
"We pray for his repose in the certainty he is in the arms of our Lord," Locsin said.
According to Cato, John was in critical condition and was "on life support" on Sunday night before passing away.