Canadian kills 2, shoots self in Cebu courthouse

Philippine National Police investigators examine the courtroom at the Regional Trial Court building in Cebu city in central Philippines where a Canadian national identified as John H. Pope opened fire killing two people and wounding a prosecutor before being fatally shot by police Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2013. AP

CEBU CITY, Philippines—A physician and a lawyer were killed while a female prosecutor was wounded when a Canadian national went on a shooting rampage inside the Palace of Justice about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, the authorities said.

Police said the suspect, identified as John Pope, shot himself when he reached the ground floor of the building located inside the Capitol compound in Cebu City. He expired about two-and-a-half hours later at the Cebu Doctor’s Hospital.

Regional prosecutor Fernando Gubalane said Pope, who police said was armed with a .38-caliber pistol, shot lawyer Juvian Achas and Dr.  Rene Rafols inside Branch 6 of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities located on the fourth floor.

On his way down he met Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Maria Theresa Casiño on the stairs near the court’s Branch 1 and shot her in the head, Gubalane said.

Achas and Rafols died on the spot, Gubalane said, adding that Casiño was fighting for her life at Chong Chua Hospital in Cebu City.

Gubalane said Pope was facing several cases at the Palace of Justice filed by his neighbors in Barangay (village) Guadalupe, Cebu City.

Gubalane said investigators had yet to determine why Pope shot Casiño and the two others.

He described Casiño as a “good prosecutor” and friendly.