Palma visitor killed by cops
WHILE SEEKING ARCHBISHOP'S COUNSEL
A man who wanted to seek religious counsel from Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma was shot dead yesterday morning following an encounter with police after he refused to surrender his firearm at the Archbishop's Palace.
The man was identified as Jeffrey Cañedo, 41, a resident of Barangay Labangon, Cebu City.
Police Regional Office - 7 Director Debold Sinas told reporters that Palma's staff was forced to call the police after seeing a gun at Cañedo's waist.
Cañedo reportedly arrived at the Archbishop's Palace at past 10 a.m. and told security he wanted to speak with Palma.
Knowing that Palma was still in Manila, the security guard referred Cañedo to Palma's assistants. The assistants, Sinas said, observed that the man looked disturbed.
"The assistants of Archbishop Palma described that the guy looked disturbed and deranged even, insisting that he wants to talk to the Archbishop even if he was in New Zealand," Sinas said.
Cañedo also did not disembark from his motorcycle.
When one of the assistants saw Cañedo's gun in plain view, the assistant alerted the others to contact the police.
Cops from the Abellana Police Station arrived a few minutes later and it was only they tried to speak with Cañedo that latter started retreating.
Cañedo reportedly shouted, "Wala mo'y labot ari! Ganahan ko makig-istorya kay daghan ko sala!"
After shouting, Cañedo reportedly ran toward and took cover at a sports utility vehicle at the parking space located about 200 meters away from Palma's residence.
The police urged Cañedo to surrender but Cañedo shot it out with the authorities. A short exchange of fire later, Cañedo dropped to the ground with gunshot wounds to different parts of his body.
A responding medical team pronounced him dead. Sinas said only the medical team touched Cañedo.
Investigators found 17 empty bullet shells from the crime scene.
NO THREAT
Cebu Archdiocese spokesperson, Msgr. Joseph Tan, said Palma did not receive any death threat and the incident is not a cause for alarm.
"Right now, we do not feel threatened. We hope that this is an isolated but we are not at a level that we are seeing it as an attack against the church," he said.
Sinas, however, said he will give Palma a police escort and assigned police officers to secure the Archbishop's Palace.
"We will be detailing police officers in the premises. That will not disturb their daily activities. Although they don't feel threatened, we will offer the additional security because of what happened," Sinas said.
He said perhaps it was a blessing in disguise that Palma was not in town, considering that the archbishop has a tendency to entertain anyone with "open arms."
He commended Palma's staff for alerting the police immediately.
INVESTIGATION
Sinas said they will look into Cañedo's background. It was reportedly very suspicious of him to be bringing a gun to a religious place.
At the Cebu City Police Office, Cañedo family told authorities that Cañedo became unstable mentally after separating with his wife.
"Tungod kay iya asawa nagbuwag na sila niya wala'y tarong istorya, wala makigkita na magstorya sila og tarong, pero sa pagmakguwang buotan kay na siya nga pagka maguwang," said his younger sister, Jenilyn.
Jenilyn said they had Cañedo checked at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center but doctors reportedly found it difficult to diagnose his condition, much more give him medicines.
"Ang gusto ra guro niya is magpa-counseling guro siya ni Archbishop kay mura siya na disturb iyang huna-huna tungod sa iyang situation," Jenilyn said.
Cañedo's father, Feliciano, also said that his son had talked about wanting to separate from his wife legally through annulment because his wife reportedly prevented him from reaching his son.
He said they do not have plan of taking legal action against the authorities. —