Who is John Pope?

“I have spent helping single-parent mothers and their children. And I will continue this sponsorship until the day I die. The other part of my life will be fighting for justice and against corruption. And I will continue this fight until the day that I die.”

John Holdridge Pope, who lived in Cebu for over 15 years,made good the promise he wrote in a personal journal entitled “Justice Denied” where he expressed his dismay over the criminal justice system in the country.

The bookbound journal documented his legal skirmishes with his perceived enemies, including Dr. Rene Rafols, who was among those killed in yesterday’s shooting rampage.

“The best I can hope for is probably not to be deported from the Philippines, a country and people I have come to love despite its widespread poverty and corruption. And regardless of what happens, my legacy will always be that I made an extraodinary effort of fighting both,” he said.

Pope said he spent at least P3 million helping single mothers and their children in the last 14 years.

He said he helped families in Argao, Alcantara, Negros Occidental, and Cebu City, among others.

Pope recounted an experience with Deputy City Prosecutor Oscar Capacio which he accused of demanding money from him.

“All it takes to bribe a police or court officials in the Philippine is about P40,000,” he said.

He was also disappointed when he was accused of sexually abusing children.

The book he wrote, Justice Denied, was based on his experiences in his quest for justice in the past three years.

Based on the records of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC), Pope has three pending cases: unjust vexation, grave threats, qualified trespass to dwelling, and malicious mischief—all were filed by Dr. Rene Rafols. He is also facing charges of Violence Against Women for purportedly inflicting harm upon his live-in partner. A case for illegal gun possession against Pope was dismissed by the court.

Pope said he worked as a full time speechwriter and researcher for the provincial caucus of backbenchers in the ruling Progressive Conservative Party for the province of Manitoba in Canada where he was asked to give input on mandatory mediation required for divorce cases./Ador Vincent Mayol and Jucell Marie Cuyos