POLICE have filed charges, including three counts of murder, against the doctor who shot and killed former Lamitan City, Basilan mayor Rosita “Rose” Furigay and two others inside the Ateneo de Manila University campus in Quezon City last Sunday.
PNP spokeswoman Col. Jean Fajardo yesterday said the cases against Dr. Chao Tiao Yumol were filed by the Quezon City Police District before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office at around 6:58 p.m. on Monday.
The cases included three counts of murder for the killing of Furigay, her executive assistant Victor Capistrano and Ateneo security guard Jeneven Bandiala, and frustrated murder for the wounding of Furigay’s daughter Hannait.
Yumol was also charged with illegal possession of firearms and ammunition after he yielded an unlicensed cal. 45 pistol he used in the shooting, carnapping for commandeering a car he used in escaping, and malicious mischief for damaging property while making his escape.
The QCPD said the cal. 45 pistol used by Yumol belonged to a Philippine Army officer, 1Lt. Jeremy Aquino, based on initial information from the PNP Firearms and Explosive Office. It said the firearm went missing sometime in November 2019 in Barangay Buhanginan, Patikul, Sulu.
The second firearm, a 9 mm pistol, is registered to Yumol.
The QCPD said Yumol tested positive in the paraffin test that was conducted on him.
Furigay was shot while she was on her way to attend the graduation of her daughter, who took up law at the university. School officials postponed the graduation due to the attack.
PNP officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Vicente Danao Jr. said the PNP has a strong case against Yumol.
“We believe that we have a strong case considering all the evidence and testimonies we gathered. All these are leading to the suspect we have under custody,” said Danao.
Quezon City Police District Director Brig. Gen. Remus Medina earlier said they have a solid case against Yumol, noting the suspect admitted shooting the victims.
Yumol was shot and injured by security guards and later arrested while fleeing. Police said a personal grudge, which started in 2018, prompted Yumol to kill Furigay, who relinquished the city’s mayoral post to her husband, Roderick, earlier this month.
“This case is considered solved already because the suspect has been apprehended and appropriate criminal cases have been filed before the Prosecutor’s Office,” Fajardo said.
Fajardo said the PNP is optimistic the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office will endorse the cases before a Quezon City court.
Basilan Bishop Leo Dalmao joined calls for justice for the killing of Furigay, adding the entire prelature is condemning the act of violence.
“(This) comes as distressing news for many of us in Basilan, who knew the former mayor.
We, at the Prelature of Isabela de Basilan, find this violent attack disturbing and deplorable,” said Dalmao.
“We uphold the rule of law. We advocate the peaceful and just resolution of all forms of violence. We call for the swift and just resolution of this case,” he added.
“The mayor was an active partner of the Prelature in several peace building efforts and inter-religious undertakings. We are pained by the loss of a fellow peace advocate,” said Dalmao. — With Gerard Naval
