Three people were killed in a shooting at a university in the Philippine capital, Manila, on Sunday in what authorities say was a targeted assassination.
The shooting occurred at the Ateneo de Manila University as law students and their families arrived for a graduation ceremony to be attended by the Chief Justice.
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Rose Furigay, a former mayor of a town in the restive southern province of Basilan whose daughter was among the graduates, was killed, said Joy Belmonte, mayor of the town where the shooting took place.
Rose Furigay’s assistant and a college security guard also died. The suspected shooter has been taken into custody. Rose Furigay’s daughter was injured and is in a “stable statein the hospital, according to the police. “We are very distraught and bereaved by this event.“said Joy Belmonte to AFP.
A “long history” of litigation
The suspected shooter fled the scene, forced a driver out of his vehicle before abandoning it and continuing his escape in a minibus, police said. He was eventually arrested near a church. Police recovered two handguns and a silencer allegedly used by the suspect, whom they identified as Chao-Tiao Yumol.
The man, according to police, has along storyof disputes with Rose Furigay. He was out on bail for a cybercrime case. “He seems to be a determined assassin“Brigadier Remus Medina told the press, believing that this is an incident”isolated“.
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Chao-Tiao Yumol, who had abrasions on his face, was presented to reporters by the police. He accused Rose Furigay of being a “drug lord”, claiming his family had ordered three attacks on him.
The fairly common assassinations of politicians
Rose Furigay, whose family dominates political life in Lamitan City (south), served three terms as mayor. The constitution prevented her from standing for re-election on May 9 and her husband, who had already held the position before her, succeeded her.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he was shocked by the killings and said law enforcement would “investigate these killings thoroughly and promptly and bring all those involved to justice“.
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School and college shootings are rare in the Philippines, despite lax gun rules. But targeted assassinations of politicians are quite common, especially during elections. This is a common occurrence in the Philippines, where powerful clans pass on positions from one family member to another to maintain their influence.
The university canceled the graduation ceremony. In a statement, the university condemned the shooting and said it had “deprived members of the law school class of 2022 of what was supposed to be a joyous celebration“.