Visiting Pinoy lawyer lies brain dead after gun attack in US

A visiting Filipino lawyer in the US is lying brain-dead in a Philadelphia hospital following a road shooting incident early Sunday morning (Philippines time).

In a text message to GMA News, New York-based Consul General Elmer Cato said, "We had a shooting incident in Philadelphia this morning that wounded a 36-year-old Filipino lawyer visiting from the Philippines."

"He and his mother were on their way to the airport at about 4 a.m. to catch flight to Chicago when shots were fired at Uber car they were riding in. Victim was hit in the head by one of six bullets fired by suspect/suspects, and was later pronounced brain-dead at hospital," Cato's text message continued.

A subsequent message from the consulate said that the victim had died of his injuries, but a later correction from Cato clarified that the previous update was a mistake and that the victim is still alive.

"We have just been informed that Atty. John Laylo, the victim in Saturday’s random shooting incident in Philadelphia, remains on life support. He has not been pronounced dead contrary to earlier information conveyed to the Consulate General of the Philippines in New York. We ask kababayan to pray with us so that he would be able to pull through," Cato said.

So far, no arrests have been made after the incident, he added.

Likewise, Cato said that he has already instructed Deputy Consul General Arman Talbo to attend to the needs of the victim and his mother.

"DCG Arman Talbo, who is attending an event in Philadelphia, has been advised to visit the mother and check with authorities," Cato said.

He added that he has been in touch with the victim's family. "I was able to contact the victim’s cousin who shared with us details of what  happened. I assured him of our assistance, including in repatriation of the victim. The Consulate is also in touch with the Philadelphia police," Cato said.

In a statement on Twitter, Senator Leila De Lima said Laylo was a former staffer of hers.

"I ask for prayers for Jal's healing and recovery. Let us also call for justice for this brutal and senseless act," she said. "Walang puwang dapat ang ganitong karahasan sa mundo. Dapat mapanagot agad ang maysala at matigil na ang ganitong mga karumal-dumal na krimen."

(There should be no place for this kind of cruelty in the world. The perpetrator must answer for what they did and these heinous crimes should stop.) — LBG/BM, News