CEBU CITY – A 64-year-old lawyer was ambushed and wounded in a street in Lapu-Lapu City on Saturday morning.
Lawyer James Joseph Gupana was driving his Toyota Hilux on his way to his office in Barangay Centro in Mandaue City when two motorcycle-riding assailants open fired at him some meters away from his residence in Barangay Pajac at around 9 a.m.
Police Master Sergeant Wilson Malnegro of Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) said Gupana sustained three gunshot wounds on his left arm and body.
The lawyer was immediately rushed to a hospital for treatment.
As of 4 p.m., Malnegro said Gupana was already in stable condition.
Based on the police investigation, Gupana reportedly sensed that some persons were tailing him since Thursday.
“We will look into this information so we would have leads in the investigation,” Malnegro said.
Lawyer Regal Oliva, president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ Cebu City chapter, condemned the attack on Gupana.
“We adhere to the notion of justice and the rampant (attempt) to kill defenders of the law. We believe that trying to take any life, especially of lawyers will lead to more injustices in our society,” he said in a statement.
“So we must therefore be vigilant and not be complacent on how our community sees the harsh realities of today. We call upon the public authorities, the Philippine National Police, the National Bureau of Investigation and all those concerned to conduct a speedy investigation and bring those culpable of the crime to justice,” he added.
In a tally made by INQUIRER, at least 12 lawyers in Cebu had been killed since 2004.