Police chief allays fears of whitewash, Pope shooting probe 95% done

The investigation is nearly closed. There’s no need for the National Bureau of Invesigation (NBI) to come in.

Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el, chief of police of Cebu City, yesterday made this assessment in reaction to reports that a regional official of the Commission on Human Rights wanted the NBI to conduct a parallel probe on Tuesday’s tragic courthouse shooting in the city. “I really don’t think the NBI should come in. The case is 95 percent closed. There’s nothing more to investigate,” he said.

The capital city’s police chief however, said he will not object should the NBI decide heed CHR regional director Alejandro Alonso’s call for them to come in.

“They are welcome to investigate,” Natu-el told Cebu Daily News. “100 percent akong ipasalig nga wala gyuy whitewash sa atong investigation. We don’t gain anything if we will whitewash the investigation.”

Cebu City police homicide investigators have concluded that John Pope, the Canadian expatriate who fatally shot a lawyer and doctor and seriously injured a government prosecutor at the Palace of Justice, killed himself after he was cornered by two policemen after going on a shooting spree.

Natu-el said they will no longer conduct an autopsy on Pope’s body as post-mortem examination indicated that he shot himself. “We have already conducted the post-mortem exam and the result was suicide. He shot himself,” he said.

The findings were also reportedly corroborated by a court employee who allegedly saw Pope shoot himself. Pope’s family through the Canadian diplomatic mission in the country had also requested not to conduct an autopsy on the 67-year-old expatriate remains.

Senior Supt. Orlando Ualat, head of Task Force Pope, said they are checking the Canadian’s mobile phone to see if they can get leads on where he got his guns and to tie loose ends in the case. Ualat, deputy director for operations of PRO-7 said, the phone which was retrieved from Pope’s body, is now with the cybercrime unit of the regional Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

Pope’s sister, identified as Susan Webb of Kinsman township in Ohio, is reportedly arriving today to claim his brother’s remains. The family of Maria Theresa Calibugan-Casiño, the government prosecutor who survived the shooting, will welcome Pope’s sister if she decides to visit her in the hospital.

“Lain man pud kung siya among bawsan nga patay naman ang gunman (It won’t look good if we vent our ire on her sister. The gunman’s dead anyway),” Joseph James Cornejo, elder brother of Casiño, told CDN.

He said the family was dismayed with the cold shoulder treatment they got from the honorary consul of the Canada in Cebu.

“I find it strange that instead of voluntering their assistance considering that the gunman is their citizen, he just told us that: ‘We are sorry for this unfortunate incident happened, I was instructed by Manila office that any inquiries will be directed to their main office in Manila’,” he said.

Cornejo said he, together with lawyer-friends of Casiño, went to see Robert Lee, honorary consul of the Canada in Cebu.

“Murag frustrating kay kami pa (aggrieved) party, kami pa paludhon para tabangan (It’s very frustrating that we are the aggrieved party yet they seem to want us to go down on our knees and beg for help_,” he said. “Where is the justice in that? The Canadian embassy should be held liable.”

Critical period has passed

Cornejo said doctors attending to her sister have declared that the “critical period” has passed.

The prosecutor’s medical condition is improving fast, he added. She has also regained her clear vision and can already identify family members and friends.

“Maka-move siya, maka-istorya siya and she can even manage to smile,” Cornejo said, “Strangely I did not feel nga she will be gone, deep in my heart wala jud ko ka-feel anang morbid feeling nga mawala siya nga knowing her to be a fighter.”

Asked when the prosecutor will undergo surgery to remove the bullet embedded in her head, Cornejo said:“That’s for the doctors to decide”.

Assistant City Prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas, a close friend of Casiño, said the wounded prosecutor has been “responsive and coherent.” “Knowing her personally, she will make it. She’s a strong person. She does not give up easily,” said a teary-eyed Rabillas.

A relative of Casiño, who requested anonymity, said they need help to pay for the mounting medical bills of the prosecutor. The relative said the daily bill runs up to P100,000 a day. The Cebu Lady Lawyers Association (Cella) and the Federacion Internacional de Abogadas (Fida Cebu Chapter) are appealing to the public to help defray Casiño’s medical expenses “Donations may be deposited to Land Bank Acct No. 01-474295-68 in the name of Atty. Rhett S. Casino or given directly to Atty. Casino who is now caring for his wife at the Chong Hua Hospital,” the lawyers’ groups said in a statement.

Security concerns

Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said they are closely monitoring the Casiño’s condition.

In her statement posted on the website of the Department of Justice (DOJ), De Lima is hoping to find ways to address the security concerns of prosecutors.

“There is never a reason for violence or cause for disregard of life. While the shooter reportedly killed himself, a careful investigation is on course to meet the ends of justice and to prevent similar incidents from happening again and again,” De Lima said.

Pope’s sentiments

Dante Jimenez, founding chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, yesterday said John Pope wrote him a letter to express his sentiments regarding the justice system in the country.

Jimenez was supposed to meet with Pope yesterday.

“I feel so guilty. Had I explained to him our justice system here, he should not have ran amuck,” he told reporters.

“It’s unfortunate that it happened right here at the Palace of Justice. I don’t want to pass any judgement yet. We will wait for a complete report of the investigation,” he said.