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CEBU CITY, Philippines - She could not breathe after she heard alleged Alpha Kappa Rho (Akrho) hitman formally denying killing her son and two others in a senseless drive-by shooting in downtown Cebu City on October 4, 2007.
Lermi ?Mimi? Pasco collapsed during the arraignment of Aristotle ?Ares? Aves of the three counts of murder and frustrated murder charges pending before Regional Trial Court Branch 9.
Her cry echoed inside the courtroom while the information sheet was read before Aves, who was clad in an orange polo shirt and jeans.
Aves, assisted by Elmer Pacayra of the Pubic Attorney's Office, pleaded not guilty to the three counts of murder for the separate killing of Lord Stephen Vasquez, William John Aznar Jr. and Lawrence Morados.
Pasco, mother of Lord Stephen, was seated in between Bobby Morados, Lawrence's father, and Connie Aznar, mother of William John.
When she heard the ?not guilty? plea of Aves, she suddenly had difficulty in breathing. Then, she lost consciousness.
Presiding Judge Geraldine Faith Econg immediately ordered her staff to call the Emergency Rescue Unit Foundation (Eruf) so Pasco could be brought to the hospital.
Before the Eruf personnel came, court staffers and lawyers Gloria Lastimosa-Dalawampu and Alex Tolentino assisted Pasco. Dalawampu is Aznar's lawyer, while Tolentino had a scheduled hearing in Branch 9.
Paramedics at the Cebu Provincial Capitol also came in to help.
After Pasco was brought to the hospital by Eruf, Judge Econg went on with the arraignment.
Lawyers Keith Enriquez, Feleciano Payot and Norberto Luna Jr. represented Morados, while Vazquez' legal counsel was Public Prosecutor Graeme Elmido.
Judge Econg appointed Pacayra to represent Aves in the arraignment after she was told by the mother of the accused that they hired lawyer Paul Oaminal to defend her son.
Oaminal, legal counsel of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, is an Akrho member.
Econg said that if Oaminal would still not appear in the next hearing, she would appoint Pacayra to defend the accused.
Both the lawyers of the complainants and the accused were amenable to a continuous trial provided the hearings would be set in the afternoon.
