Courtroom shooter caught

Police operatives yesterday arrested the man who shot dead his wife and her lawyer in a Las Piñas City courtroom Thursday.

Senior Inspector Jandale Sulit, chief of the Taguig police investigation division, said that around 1 a.m., they found Roberto Tubale, 53, hiding at his uncle’s house in Signal Village, Taguig City.

Tubale, however, stayed mum about the incident and refused to subject himself to a paraffin test. He is detained at the city police station while authorities are preparing a double murder case against him.

The police also recovered the caliber .45 revolver Tubale used to kill his wife Lolita, 51, and lawyer Rebecca Basa, 57 at 10:40 a.m. Thursday. He shot them just as a hearing on a petition filed by Lolita to annul their marriage was about to begin in the courtroom of Regional Trial Court Branch 199 Judge Joselito Vibandor.

The two victims, each with a gunshot wound in the head, were rushed to the Perpetual Help Medical Center where they died late in the afternoon.

Senior Superintendent Amando Clifton Empiso, chief of the Las Piñas police station, said the Tubale’s relatives “said the suspect had long been at odds with his wife because of money matters and infidelity issues.”

Empiso said Tubale had worked as a seaman for several years and had saved quite a large amount of money as well as bought many things for the family.

“According to the relatives and people close to the couple, the victim had put the money to waste while she engaged in an illicit affair. The suspect on the other hand, also had an extra-marital affair until it came to a point that their differences had become irreconcilable, prompting the woman to file for an annulment of their marriage. This all the more angered Tubale,” Empiso said.  

He added that they are investigating how Tubale managed to sneak a gun into the courtroom.

Police said Vibandor’s courtroom was temporarily moved from the Hall of Justice since the building is being renovated.

Sulit said the court bailiff was not at his post when the shooting occurred.

“He could have possibly gone to the comfort room,” he added.