Friday, February 24, 2006
Doctor shot inside clinic
By Jovy S. Taghoy
CEBU CITY -- An internist was shot dead by a Caucasian man in her clinic at the second floor of Cebu Doctors' University Health Sciences Center shortly before noon Thursday.
After killing 51-year-old Dr. Jane Lim-Chua, the unidentified man, described to be in his 40s, about six feet tall, and with gray hair, shot himself with a .380 pistol, taking two bullets in the chest.
He was rushed to the adjacent Cebu Doctors' University Hospital but died minutes later inside the emergency room.
The armed man slipped past the building's security guard and barged into the doctor's clinic around 11:30 a.m.
Chua's secretary, Mary Ann Cabaca, was taken to the same hospital, "in a state of shock."
President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, a friend of the family, called up Chua's husband, Oscar, to give her condolences.
Homicide investigators led by SPO2s Zenaido Pastorfide Jr. and Rey Cuyos are still baffled over the motive.
Loaded
Personnel from the Scene of the Crime Operation found six empty shells and two slugs of .380 pistol, while responding operatives from the Theft and Robbery Section who frisked the Caucasian inside the emergency room recovered two magazines loaded with bullets and one new hunting knife with scabbards strapped to both his legs near the ankles.
Another magazine loaded with bullets was found in one of his pockets.
Investigators did not find any document that would help the police identify the gunman.
Also recovered from the Caucasian's possession was a belt bag that contained one syringe, a pair of eyeglasses, a torn map of Cebu Province, two small notebooks, a comb, a key, and several receipts.
Inspector Mario Monilar, Homicide Section chief, said they have invited Cabaca and the security guard on duty to help in the investigation.
Monilar said they would like to know why the guard failed to detect the weapons and ammunition the Caucasian brought with him.
A security guard, who took over the post of the guard on duty, said they routinely frisk everyone who enters the building.
Impatient
Pastorfide told reporters the Caucasian arrived at Chua's clinic in Room 204 at the second floor of the building at 11:30 a.m., and looked for "Dr. Kua or Chua." The man seemed impatient.
Without giving Cabaca the chance to respond, the man tried to enter Chua's cubicle, but the secretary blocked him and explained that he needed to register his name.
The man hurriedly scribbled his name on a piece of paper and then went inside the cubicle, catching Cabaca off guard.
The piece of paper, however, could no longer be found after the incident, Pastorfide said.
The next thing Cabaca and other people inside heard were six gunshots.
A medical representative who happened to be at the waiting lounge to see Chua said that at first they thought there was an electrical explosion but later realized it came from a handgun.
Panic ensued
Investigators found Chua lying on her back right beside her table, with four gunshot wounds -- two in the abdomen, one in the face, and one in the back.
Police have yet to ascertain why the assailant himself had two gunshot wounds.
Investigation
Senior Superintendent Lani-o Nerez, Police Regional Office deputy director for operations and Superintendent Pablo Labra II, chief of the Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Bureau of the Cebu City Police Office, went to the crime scene to supervise the investigation.
Chua's body was taken to the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes in Barangay Lahug, Cebu City, while the Caucasian was taken to the Cebu Rolling Hills Memorial Chapel in Banilad, Mandaue City.
The Homicide Section has requested the National Bureau of Investigation in Central Visayas to autopsy Chua and the Caucasian.
Drug test and paraffin tests would be conducted on the Caucasian.
Councilor Sylvan Jakosalem said the Caucasian appeared to be an American.
Jakosalem said United States Honorary Consul John Domingo is sending personnel from the consulate office to take a photograph of the Caucasian for verification.
Domingo, through Jakosalem, also asked the police to furnish his office with the Caucasian's fingerprints. (Sun.Star Cebu/Sunnex)
(February 24, 2006 issue)
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