Ateneo shooting suspect tries to escape on foot, in car, on bus before being caught

Witnesses on Monday shared what they saw of the intense chase between the police and the suspect in the deadly shooting inside the Ateneo de Manila University over the weekend.

Chao-Tiao Yumol, a 38-year-old doctor from Lamitan, Basilan, was arrested on Sunday after three people were shot dead in the Ateneo campus on Sunday, just as its law school was about to hold its graduation ceremony. Killed were former Lamitan mayor Rose Furigay, Furigay's aide Victor Capistrano, and Ateneo security guard Jeneven Bandiala.

Furigay's daughter Hannah, a graduating law student, was wounded and is being treated in hospital.

In Chino Gaston’s report on “24 Oras,” tricycle driver Jun (not his real name) said he saw Bandiala trying to stop Yumol as the suspect tried to leave by the school's pedestrian gate on Katipunan Avenue.

“Tinawagan siya ng guwardiya, tapos matagal pa yung ano nila bago niya binaril yung guwardiya eh. Habang pinipigilan siya, binaril na niya yung guwardiya kaya nakatakas siya uli,” said Jun.

(The guard called after him, and as the guard was trying to stop him the suspect shot the guard and got away.)

A delivery rider, Ben (not his real name), saw Yumol crossing the street towards Katipunan on his way to B. Gonzales Street.

CCTV footage from Barangay Loyola Heights shows the suspect getting into a tricycle, and then getting out again as the tricycle drivers are warned not to take him on as a customer. Yumol then tries to grab the keys from the tricycle driver. Failing to do so, he runs across the street and, according to the report, is able to scale a wall into a subdivision.

In Dano Tingcungco's report on Sunday, Loyola Heights barangay captain Darwin Hayes said the suspect was able to change his clothes before he tried to flee via tricycle.

CCTV footage from the subdivision then shows a yellow car commandeered by Yumol racing down the street. Rounding a street corner towards Xavierville, the car hits a truck before getting stuck in traffic. The suspect then abandons the vehicle on Aurora Boulevard and gets on a mini-bus.

The motorcycle riders tailing Yumol catch up to the mini-bus on the corner of Aurora and Anonas Street and notify the police, who flag down the bus and order the suspect to come out.

Ben's video shows Yumol being held down on the ground by police as they seize two guns with live ammunition in his possession.

“Nakita ko na, nasa likuran ako ng mini-bus. Nakita ko na may pulis nang medyo malayo-layo...mga dalawang poste ang layo...umover-take na ako, doon na ako tumigil,” said Ben.

(I was behind the mini-bus. When I saw the police at a distance, I sped up and stopped there.)

According to Quezon City Police District director Police Brigadier General Remus Medina, Yumol said that his motive for shooting Furigay was "personal," and that the two camps had filed cases against each other in Lamitan.

In a statement, Ateneo said it is cooperating with the police and is awaiting their findings and recommendations.

“As the incident is already in the hands of the authorities, specifically the Philippine National Police under the command of PB General Remus Medina of the QC-PNP, we continue to work with them and await their findings and recommendation,” it said.

The student government condemned the incident inside their university and called for a transparent investigation. It also extended its sympathies to the families of the victims, especially of the slain security guard Bandiala. The Ateneo community is currently trying to raise funds for his family.

“The Sanggunian ng mga Mag-aaral ng mga Paaralang Loyola ng Ateneo de Manila vehemently condemned this grave incident and violence in all forms. There is no space for such a gruesome act in our schools. We raise the call for justice and for a complete and transparent investigation to take place,” it said. — Sundy Locus/BM, GMA News