Palace of Justice shooting survivor to be operated today

ASSISTANT  Cebu City Prosecutor Ma. Theresa Casiño is scheduled to undergo surgery today to remove the bullet slug lodged in her head.

The surgical procedure will begin at around 7 a.m. at Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu City, said Casiño’s close friend, Assistant City Prosecutor Liceria Lofranco-Rabillas.

“For everybody concerned of Fiscal Casiño, please pray because anything could happen,” Rabillas told Cebu Daily News.

“In our conversations after the shooting incident, she (Casiño) is still the same Matet we know: bibo (active) and coherent. She’s okay. We hope she remains to be the same person after the surgery,” she added.

Casiño was shot by Canadian retiree John Pope in the Palace of Justice shooting last Jan. 22, 2013. Pope who was facing a string of cases shot and killed lawyer Jubian Achas and Dr. Reynold Rene Rafols before responding policemen shot to immobilize him. Witnesses later reveal they saw Pope shooting himself in the head.

At 11 a.m. today, a Mass will be celebrated inside the Cebu City Prosecutors’ Office at the Palace of Justice to pray for  the successful operation of Casiño.

Casiño, who has been a prosecutor for about three years, was shot on the head by Canadian national John Pope while she was on her way for a hearing at the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 1 last Jan. 22.

The prosecutor survived the attack but has been closely monitored in the hospital since after a slug got stuck near an artery on her head.

Rabillas said Casiño’s physicians chose to remove the slug since it can cause damage in the long term.

“We trust the doctors. Considering that their advise is to remove the slug on Fiscal Casiño’s head, that is the best thing to do,” she said.

Rabillas said Casiño didn’t oppose the surgery.

“She (Casiño) said she wants to go go back to work,” she said.

They were told by  physicians that Casiño can go home a week after the surgery.

Casiño has been confined in the hospital for 15 days today. She spent some time at the Intensive Care Unit before she was moved to the Intermediate Care Unit which is intended for patients with stable condition but needs close monitoring./Reporter ADOR VINCENT S. MAYOL