“He died in my arms.”

CEBU, Philippines - “He died in my arms.”

This was according to lawyer Eduardo Rosillo who held fellow lawyer Jubian Achas after the latter was shot by former Canadian journalist John Pope inside the court yesterday morning.

“He was still alive when I extended my help. I tried to let him stand but the blood oozed.  He (Achas) said something but it was unclear,” Rosillo said.

Rosillo, 76, told The Freeman it was the first time he encountered such incident but he did not panic and attended to his wounded colleague.

He then asked somebody to call the police.

Retired policewoman Rosario Cenisa, on  the other hand, admitted that she was stunned even with her training as a police officer.

She said she did not know what to do and just hugged her grandchildren who were also in the court room of Judge Pamela Baring-Uy of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 6.

Cenisa was there to accompany her daughter who has a scheduled hearing in the same sala.          

While seated on a bench, Cenisa said she did not notice Pope was holding a gun when he entered the court room.

“I did not notice any gun.  However, he has a sling bag.  Minutes after, I heard a gun burst and saw the man in blue (pediatric surgeon Dr. Reynold Rene Rafols) slumped on the floor. About five seconds after, he (Pope) fired his gun at the lawyer (Achas),” she said.

Pope left the court room as if nothing happened.

Yesterday was the scheduled hearing of six counts of malicious mischief filed by Rafols against Pope.

Helen Rivera, 45, a utility worker, said while polishing the fourth floor near the MTCC Branch 1, she saw a foreigner, later known as Pope, entered the court room of Judge Monalila Tecson.  Then, the foreigner went out.

Rivera saw State Prosecutor Ma. Theresa Casiño on her way to MTCC Branch 1, where she is assigned as resident prosecutor.

Rivera said she saw Casiño greeted Pope good morning.

But Pope followed Casiño and shot her near the door of MTCC Branch 1.

“I did not expect it was a gun burst but when I looked to check, I saw her with a gunshot wound,” she said in Cebuano.

Casiño was shot in her nape.

Rivera added after shooting Casiño, Pope raised his gun and said something to her but she did not understand.

“I was so scared. I thought this day is my last. If I shout or run away, I might be killed so I just sat down and prayed,” she added.

Jojo Cornejo, Casiño’s brother,  said security guards at the Palace of Justice should be stricter in frisking and  checking those who enter the building.         

“Whatever lapses they committed, it should give them lessons to make necessary changes,” Cornejo said.

He added aside from the initial check at the point of entry, there should also be another security at the fiscal’s office.

Cornejo pointed out that the security guards do not even have metal detectors which are needed in establishments like the Palace of Justice.

Casiño underwent surgery and is now confined in the Intensive Care Unit of Chong Hua Hospital.

Meanwhile, Dahuya Malaras Jr, security guard of Tuscania Condominiums in Barangay Guadalupe, clarified that suspect Pope no longer lives in one of their units contrary to reports.

Malaras, of the Sentinel Security Agency Inc., said Pope left his townhouse more than two years ago after neighbors complained about his behavior. —Mylen P. Manto, Ria Mae Y. Booc/MBG (FREEMAN)