By Aaron Homer Dioquino and Aaron Recuenco
Three persons were killed, one of them a former mayor of Lamitan City, by a lone gunman in what appears to be a planned assassination during a Law Graduation ceremony inside the Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU) in Quezon City on Sunday, July 24.
Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte, in a statement, said the fatalities were former Lamitan City Mayor Rose Furigay, one ADMU security guard identified by the police as Jeneven Bandiola, and Victor George Capistrano, the executive assistant of Furigay.
Furigay was declared dead in the hospital with gunshot wounds on the head and chest. Her daughter was also rushed to the hospital for treatment.
Police Brig. Gen. Remus Medina, director of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD), said Furigay was shot while walking towards the lobby of one of the buildings of the school where the graduation of Ateneo Law students was supposed to be held.
The shooting forced the Ateneo de Manila University management to cancel the graduation ceremony.
“The former mayor was in the area to attend the graduation of her daughter,” Medina said. Medina said the third fatality, the security guard of Ateneo, was shot as he tried to stop the gunman from escaping. He said two others were injured in the gun attack.
Medina identified the gunman as Chao Tiao Yumol, a doctor, and a native of Lamitan City.
“He was arrested near the corner of Aurora Boulevard (Cubao) on board a vehicle which he stole near the Ateneo area to escape,” said Medina.
Medina said they have yet to establish the motive behind the shooting but the official said there were indications that Yumol and Furigay knew each other.
“The suspect has a personal motive but we will still determine that. He is now under our custody,” said Medina.
The official said Yumol also suffered a bullet wound, apparently from one of the security guards who tried to stop him from escaping after the gun attack.
‘Shocked, saddened’
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said “we are shocked and saddened by the events at the Ateneo graduation today,” in a Facebook post on Sunday.
“We mourn with the bereaved, the wounded, and those whose scars from this experience will run deep,” the President said.
The Chief Executive said he committed law enforcement agencies to “thoroughly and swiftly investigate these killings and bring all involved to justice.”
“Our prayers go to the graduates, their families, the Ateneo community, and to the residents of Quezon City and Basilan,” he added.
The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) said the incident happened at around 2:55 p.m.
The report said the incident happened during the Ateneo Law School graduation rites where Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo was supposed to be the guest speaker.
Gesmundo, who was in transit when the shooting incident happened, was advised to turn back. "The Chief Justice is safe," said SC spokesman Brian Keith Hosaka.
The university was placed under lockdown according to the Guidon, Ateneo De Manila's official student publication.
Cancelled
ADMU cancelled the 2022 Commencement Exercises of the Ateneo Law School scheduled on Sunday, July 24.
“Due to the incident at Areté, the 2022 Commencement Exercises of the Ateneo Law School scheduled for today, July 24, has been cancelled,” said ADMU in a tweet.
“Ateneo is continuing to work with the police and other authorities to deal with the incident,” it added.
The Guidon, ADMU’s official student publication, confirmed that the campus is “currently on lockdown,” adding that shelter-in-place protocols for individuals inside the campus are being strictly enforced.
“Those on campus are asked to close all doors, windows, and blinds. They are also advised to turn off all lights, seek cover, and put gadgets on silent mode,” it added.
Meanwhile, the official student publication likewise confirmed that as of 4:30 p.m. the gunman was already in police custody.
National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents were also deployed to further look into the situation and assist school personnel as well as the victims.
CJ Gesmundo is ‘safe’
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo was to be the guest speaker during the scheduled graduation ceremony at the Ateneo de Manila School of Law of ADMU in Quezon City on Sunday afternoon, July 24.
But Gesmundo, who at the time of the shooting incident at about 2:55 p.m., was still on his way to ADMU, “was advised to turn back,” Hosaka said.
“The Chief Justice is safe,” Hosaka told journalists covering the SC.
Chief Justice Gesmundo obtained his law degree from ADMU in 1984 and passed the Bar in April 1985.
Mayor Joy
In a statement issued late Sunday, Mayor Belmonte strongly denounced the shooting incident, and said “this kind of incident has no place in our society and must be condemned to the highest level.”
“We request the QCPD to continue investigating this incident and ensure that swift justice be attained by the victims and their families,” she added.
QCPD Chief Medina issued this statement: “Nagpahayag kami ng taos-pusong pakikidalamhati sa mga biktima lalo na sa kanilang pamilya. Mariin po naming kinokondena ang insidente dahil hindi naming kinukunsinti ang anumang karahasan at kawalang-katarungan lalo na dito sa Lungsod Quezon. Sisiguraduhin naming ang agarang solusyon upang mabigyan ng hustisya ang mga biktima. (We express our deep sympathies to the victims and their families. We strongly condemn this incident as we never condone any form of violence and injustice especially here in Quezon City. We assure the early resolution of this incident so that justice will be served to the victims.)
Belmonte said the Quezon City government, together with departments, task forces and agencies under its Law and Order Cluster, and the QCPD will work together to further strengthen security and other measures to ensure no untoward incident will occur during the State of the Nation Address of President Marcos Jr. on Monday, July 24.
Condemnation
Police Lt. Gen. Vicente Dana, Jr., PNP officer-in-charge, condemned the incident, adding that the PNP is on top of the situation and stiffer security measures are being implemented especially in Quezon City and the rest of Metro Manila.
“We are assuring the public that this incident doesn't represent the entire peace and order situation in the country,” said Danao.
“The PNP immediately responded to the scene of the incident and the gunman was arrested right away. Probe is ongoing and appropriate charges will be filed against the suspect,” he added. (With reports from Charie Mae F. Abarca, and Rey G. Panaligan)