Home News Catholic educators denounce shooting at Jesuit university in Manila

Catholic educators denounce shooting at Jesuit university in Manila

The Catholic educators expressed "profound sympathy and solace to the victims, the bereaved, and those who were physically and emotionally injured"

The Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP) on Monday, July 25, issued a statement condemning the shooting incident inside the Ateneo de Manila University in the capital that killed three people and injured two others.

“The nation was shocked by the terrible act of violence committed during the commencement exercises of the Ateneo de Manila School of Law at Areté, Loyola Heights Campus,” read a statement signed by Sister Ma. Marissa Viri, CEAP president.

“Hours before the celebration, an act of violence was executed thereafter, disrupting the supposedly joyful celebration filled with happiness and gratitude turned into terror, trauma, and death,” added the statement.



The Catholic nun said CEAP “expresses its profound sympathy and solace to the victims, the bereaved, and those who were physically and emotionally injured by this unfortunate and unnecessary event.”

“We call on our brothers and sisters in the CEAP community to offer our prayers to the victims and their families,” said Sister Viri.

The League of Provinces of the Philippines also expressed sadness over the incident and called for a thorough probe into the case to ensure that the perpetrator is “brought to justice.”

Three people were killed on Sunday, July 24, in a rare shooting at a Jesuit university.

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Rose Furigay, a former city mayor in the restive southern province of Basilan and whose daughter was among the graduates, was killed, authorities said.

Furigay’s executive assistant and a university security guard were also killed. Her daughter was wounded and is in a “stable condition” in hospital, police said.

The alleged gunman fled the scene by forcing a driver out of their vehicle, before abandoning it and continuing his getaway in a jeepney, police said.

He was eventually detained near a church.

Police recovered two handguns and a silencer allegedly used by the suspect, who they identified as Chao-Tiao Yumol and said had a “long history” of legal disputes with Furigay.

Yumol was on bail for a cyberlibel charge.

“This looks to be a determined assassin,” Police Brigadier General Remus Medina told reporters, describing the incident as “isolated.”

School and university shootings are rare in the Philippines despite its lax gun rules. But targeted killings of politicians are fairly common, particularly during elections.

Ateneo de Manila University cancelled the graduation ceremony.

In a statement, the university condemned the shooting and said it had “robbed the members of the Law School class of 2022 of what was supposed to be a joyous celebration.” – with a report from AFP

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