MANILA, Philippines – A day before the first State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. in Quezon City, a shooting incident inside the Ateneo de Manila University claimed the lives of at least three individuals, including the former mayor of Lamitan, Basilan, Rose Furigay. 

Here’s what we know so far about the incident.

Who are the victims? 

Furigay, who was among the casualties, was supposed to attend the graduation of her daughter, Hannah, when she was shot at around 3:30 pm on Sunday, July 24. Furigay sustained gunshot wounds in her head and chest. Graduation rites of the Ateneo Law School for batch 2022 were canceled by the university.

Aside from Furigay, her long-time aide, Victor George Capistrano was also shot and died on the scene. Ateneo security guard Jeneven Bandiala also died, Quezon City Police District (QCPD) director Brigadier General Remus Medina said during his briefing on Sunday. 

Hannah was also wounded in the incident and was immediately brought to the Quirino Memorial Medical Center. Medina said she is currently in stable condition. 

Suspect Chao Tiao Yumol was also injured and sustained a gunshot wound. The police said they are still determining who shot the suspect. 

The police recovered bullets and two guns – one with a silencer. Medina said Yumol used the gun with a silencer in killing the victims. 

Yumol and his motive 

Yumol, 38 years old, is a general practitioner doctor and a native of Lamitan City. The police said the doctor has personal motives for killing Furigay. 

“Initially, sa pagtatanong namin sa kanya, meron na silang long history ng away sa Lamitan, Basilan. So according to them, eh nagpapalitan na sila ng kaso. Itong si doktor naman ay laging nape-pressure sa pamilya ng Furigay. So lumalabas, personal ang away nila,” Medina said during his briefing. 

(Initially, based on our interrogation of the suspect, they have a long history of conflict in Lamitan, Basilan. According to them, they filed cases against each other. The doctor was always pressured by the Furigay family. So it turned out that they had a personal conflict.)

Medina said Furigay filed 76 counts of cyber libel against Yumol, which temporarily prevented the suspect from practicing medicine, according to the police. The suspect was detained for his libel cases, but was able to post bail, Medina added. 

According to the QCPD director, Yumol also alleged that Furigay had a history of corruption: “May ina-allege din si Doctor Yumol na katiwalian ng mayor. According to him, iyon po ang mga ina–allege niya, that is now subject for verification (Doctor Yumol is also alleging that the slain mayor was involved in corruption. According to him, that is what he is alleging, that is now subject for verification).”

The suspect is currently in the custody of the QCPD and undergoing custodial investigation. 

How did the suspect execute his plan? 

Yumol executed his assassination plot against Furigay by himself, according to Medina. Based on the suspect’s account, he rented a transport network vehicle service and went inside the university – he was able to carry his gun despite the gun ban in Metro Manila for Marcos Jr.’s SONA. 

He blended with the crowd and waited for the family inside the campus. When Yumol spotted the former mayor, he immediately shot Furigay.

Rose and Hannah went inside the Arete for Hannah’s graduation ceremony. Behind them was Victor. After a while, Yumol started firing his gun at the victims, then fled to escape. 

At the pedestrian gate of Ateneo, Jeneven held off the suspect but was also shot and killed in the process, according to an interview of GMA News to a witness. 

“Hinawakan siya ng guwardiya. Tapos matagal pa ‘yong ano nila bago niya binaril ‘yong guwardiya eh. Habang pinipigilan siya, binaril na ‘yong guwardiya kaya nakatakas siya ulit (The guard held him off. It took some time before he gunned down the security guard. While the security guard was holding him off, he shot the guard so he was able to escape, ” the witness, who is a tricycle driver in the area, said. 

Another witness who was interviewed by GMA News said that Yumol crossed the street of Katipunan then entered B. Gonzales Street. In an interview with GMA News, Loyola Heights barangay captain Darwin Hayes said the suspect was able to change his clothes before he attempted to escape riding a tricycle. 

In a closed circuit television (CCTV) from Barangay Loyola Heights, the suspect was seen getting onboard a tricycle, but got out when other drivers warned the driver not to entertain Yumol. 

The suspect then tried to grab the keys from the driver but did not succeed. Yumol ran across the street and jumped above the wall of a nearby subdivision. Another CCTV footage showed that Yumol commandeered a yellow car inside the subdivision and drove it towards Xavierville. 

Along the area, the car ran through a sidewalk and then hit a truck. The car was stuck in the traffic in Aurora Boulevard, so Yumol abandoned the vehicle and rode a minibus. When Yumol got on the minibus, motorcycle riders tried to tail him. 

The riders were able to catch up with the minibus at the corner of Aurora Boulevard and Anonas Street, where they notified the police. The cops flagged down the vehicle, ordered the suspect to go down, and arrested Yumol. 

Cases vs Yumol 

A day after the incident, PNP officer-in-charge Lieutenant General Vicente Danao said that Yumol will face three counts of murder. The PNP officer added that the suspect remains under the custody of the QCPD. 

On Tuesday, July 26, three counts of murder and a frustrated murder complaint were filed against the suspect by the PNP. The national police also filed complaints in violation of the anti-carnapping act, carrying a gun outside residence without a permit, and malicious mischief against Yumol. 

Two days later, Quezon City prosecutor’s office indicted Yumol for three counts of murder, one count of frustrated murder, one count of carnapping, one count of carrying gun outside residence without a permit, and one count of malicious mischief.

The murder and carnapping cases are nonbailable. Meanwhile, the prosecutors set P200,000 bail for the frustrated murder, P60,000 for absence of permit to carry gun outside of residence, and P3,000 for malicious mischief. – Rappler.com