Three people were killed in a shooting at a university in the Philippines’ capital, Manila, on Sunday, officials said.
The incident occurred when law students and their families came to the university for the graduation ceremony attended by the President of the Supreme Court.
The alleged attacker was arrested.
Former mayor of Basilan state (south), Rose Furigay, whose daughter is among the alumni, was killed along with her assistant and a university security guard, Joy Belmonte, mayor of the location where the shooting took place.
According to police, Furigay’s daughter was injured and was taken to hospital in “stable condition”.
“We are very worried and hurt by this incident,” Belmonte told AFP.
After police forced an alleged killer driver out of his vehicle, he fled the scene, then abandoned him and continued his escape on the ‘yipni’, a popular public transport vehicle in the Philippines.
The attacker was detained near a church.
Security forces seized two pistols and a silencer allegedly used by the suspect, whom they identified as Chao Tiao Yumol. They also reported that there is a “long history” of legal disputes with Furigay.
Yumol was released on bail on charges of libel on the internet.
“He looks like a determined killer,” Police Brigadier General Remus Medina told reporters before describing the incident as “isolated.”
Yumol, who has scars on his face, was presented to the press by the police on occasion to accuse Furigay of drug trafficking and to explain that his family had ordered three attacks against him.
School and university shootings are rare in the Philippines, despite loose gun rules. However, selective assassinations of politicians are quite common, especially during election periods.
Furigay, whose family dominated politics in the city of Lamitan, served as mayor for three terms. The constitution prevented him from reaffirming the mandate in the May 9 elections.
source: Noticias
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