Priest held in Danao shooting

Thursday, February 10, 2011

A SCHOOL chaplain was arrested and detained at the Danao City Police Station after allegedly shooting a criminology student by accident yesterday afternoon.

Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) Director Erson Digal said that Fr. Jonathan Durano Lao, 60, chaplain of the Colegio de San Antonio de Padua, was testing his new air rifle when it accidentally fired and hit Mark Robert Cecilio Ymbong in the chest.

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Ymbong, 19, a second year criminology student of the same school, was first taken to the Danao District Hospital but later transferred to a private hospital in Cebu City.

Digal, who went to Danao City yesterday, said Lao told him the shooting was accidental.

The spot report submitted by Chief Insp. Eddie Recamara stated that at 12:35 p.m., Ymbong climbed and picked some mango fruits from a tree at the back of the priest’s quarters inside the school compound.

That’s when the gunshot rang out.

“Based on the initial investigation, the parents have no plans of filing a case against the priest,” Digal said.

“Bisan wala gituyo (Even if it was accidental), still we will file a case of reckless imprudence resulting in frustrated homicide,” he said.

In a separate interview, Ymbong’s mother Bernardita said the priest apologized to them and promised to shoulder the hospital bills.

Mark, the sixth of seven children, is a resident of Cordova, Cebu. He attends the Colegio de San Antonio de Padua and is currently staying in Barangay Guinsay, Danao City.

During lunch break, he and his friends would climb the mango tree inside the school compound.

At the police station last night, Lao did not join other inmates in the detention cell and was allowed to stay in the lobby of the police station.

In a Sun.Star SuperBalita report, Lao said he had no intention to shoot Ymbong.

“Pari gud ko. Nganong mamusil man ko (I am a priest. Why would I shoot anyone)?” he said.

He said he was just testing his air gun when it accidentally fired.