Casiño’s kids not yet aware of mom’s condition

FOR almost six days in the hospital, Cebu City Assistant Prosecutor Maria Theresa Casiño’s two children were not aware of their mother’s condition and thought she was traveling abroad.

The prosecutor remains in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Cebu City after she was shot by Canadian national John Pope at the hallway of the Municipal Trial Court branch 6 on Tuesday.

Pope also just shot dead Dr. Rene Rafols and lawyer Jubian Achas in the separate court before he attacked the prosecutor.

Pope then shot himself in the head after he failed to elude the responding policemen who shot and hit him in the leg and arm.

Casiño will have to wait for seven to 10 days to know if the bullet that is still lodged in her nape will be extracted or not.

Casiño’s brother, Jojo Cornejo, said Casiño’s children, one four-years-old and the other one-year-old, were told their mother went abroad after not seeing her in their house for days.

“Gilingaw-lingaw lang sila sa ilahang lola for now. They did not know what happened since they are still too young,” said Cornejo in a phone interview with Sun.Star Cebu.

Casiño last saw her children Tuesday before she headed to the Palace of Justice.

Cornejo said Casiño’s condition continues to improve each day. He said the number of visitors of the prosecutor is limited so she will not be stressed out.

He said the doctors also told them that if Casiño’s condition continues to improve, the bullet may not be taken out.

“Pwede ra man nga dili tangtangon ingon ang doctor, but this all depends on the seven to ten days observation period,” he said.

He said Casiño was removed from a life support system yesterday.

“All of her faculties are now functioning well,” Cornejo said.

Cornejo said the family is thankful to lawyers who deposited money with the hospital where Casiño was admitted.

The prosecutor’s vision has also improved. Last Saturday, she complained of a blurry vision in her left eye, he said.

Cornejo earlier said Casiño thought she was in the hospital because she had a heart attack.

“She did not know she was shot. She was aware of the incident and that she was rushed to the hospital, but thought she had a heart attack,” Cornejo told Sun.Star Cebu.