Gunmen pretended as clients: Lawyer killed, wife wounded

CEBU, Philippines — Former prosecutor and criminal lawyer Salvador Solima was killed inside his house at Singson Compound in Barangay Guadalupe, Cebu City late yesterday afternoon.

The assailants who pretended to be Solima’s clients also shot the lawyer’s wife, Verose.

The two sustained gunshot wounds to the head. They were rushed to the hospital but Solima passed away at 6:58 p.m.

Verose was in critical condition as of last night.

Solima was shot three times and Verose once.

Senior Insp. Eduard Sanchez of the Guadalupe Police Station said they received the shooting alarm at 5:45 p.m.

Sanchez said it was the couple’s house help, Erlinda Adrade, who ushered the assailants into the house because the suspects reportedly wanted to consult Solima on a legal matter.

It was Solima who entertained the suspects on the second floor and Adrade said she heard them from a distance mentioning P150,000 before three gunshots rang. She did not hear any argument before that.

Upon hearing gunshots, Verose rushed to the room and was also shot.

The assailants escaped using a motorcycle.

Sanchez said they are looking at Solima’s work as motive in the killing, considering he handled controversial cases, including those involving illegal drugs.

SPO3 Rommel Bancog of the city police’s homicide section said they will come up with a cartographic sketch of the suspects based on the statement of the house help who saw the assailants’ faces.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Cebu Chapter condemned the shooting.

"We are saddened that another brother-lawyer was shot. The shooting of Atty. Solima is more brazen since he was attacked inside his home when it is supposedly one's refuge of safety and the fortress against violence," reads the statement of IBP- Cebu Chapter President Jose Glenn Capanas.

He urged the police to bring the suspects to justice.

Solima was the legal counsel of Jocelyn Mendoza, the common-law wife of former Ermita barangay captain Felecisimo "Emok" Rupinta who was killed in an ambush in Liloan town in November 2017.

Solima also assisted two tanods of Ermita who were accused of conniving with each other in killing 38-year-old Lyndon Abadinas. (FREEMAN)