German arrested for missing hearings, says he feels like Canadian in murder-suicide

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A German national who had been arrested and charged with possession of an unlicensed firearm was arrested again after he failed to appear in the hearings of his case.

The operatives of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG-7) arrested Pater Mai Kimmer, 49, past 3 p.m., Wednesday, at his rented house in D. Jakosalem Street in Barangay (village) Cogon-Ramos based on the warrant of arrest issued by Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Lynna Adviento. The court issued the alias warrant after Kimmer failed to appear in court for the hearing of his case several times.

The court recommended P160,000 for Kimmer’s temporary release. Kimmer was also previously charged with illegal possession of dangerous drugs and carjacking.

Before he was arrested on Wednesday, Kimmer had gone to the office of the prosecutor handling his case to express sympathy for John Pope, a retired Canadian journalist who killed himself after he shot and killed two persons and seriously wounded another.

Pope, using an unlicensed firearm, shot lawyer Juvian Achas and his client, Doctor Rene Rafols, inside a court in the Palace of Justice last January 22. Rafols was the complainant in the malicious mischief charges against Pope.

Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Maria Theresa Casiño was also shot and wounded.

Inspector Delfin Bontuyan, leader of the team who arrested Kimmer, said the German reportedly said, “I sympathize with John Pope because I am experiencing the same fate.”

Kimmer’s words have caused fear among the prosecutors, especially the one handling his case, Bontuyan said.

According to Bontuyan, the prosecutor, whom he did not name for security reasons, has asked that he attend future hearings on Kimmer’s case.