Chinese consul general hurt, 2 other officials die in Cebu gunplay

A top official of the Chinese Consulate Office in Cebu was wounded while two other officials died in a shooting incident inside an upmarket restaurant in Cebu City, police said yesterday.

Wounded was Chinese Consul General Song Rung Hua, who was taken to a nearby hospital.

Police identified the fatalities as Chinese Deputy Consul Sun Shan and consulate finance officer Hui Li. Both died at a hospital from bullet wounds, said Chief Inspector Romeo Santander.

Chief Superintendent Wilben Mayor, spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said the alleged shooter, 60-year old Li Qing Liang, is the husband of the Chinese Consul Gou Jing.

“Both of them are now under the custody of our personnel in Cebu City,” Mayor told the Manila Bulletin in an interview.

Police said Song was with other consulate staff to celebrate the birthday of one of its personnel inside the Light House restaurant in Barangay Carreta, Cebu City, Wednesday afternoon when Li suddenly fired at them using a semiautomatic .45 caliber pistol.

“We heard gunshots and thought it was part of the celebration or some plates were broken but when one of the restaurant staff checked, there were people already on the ground bloodied,” one of the waitresses said.

The incident prompted other diners to scamper out of the restaurant.

Light House manager Stephen John Patero said the shooting occurred at about 1:30 p.m. yesterday in a private room of the restaurant, a favorite for local politicians.

“We did not really see the actual shooting. They were inside a private function room. There was a series of gunshots,” Patero told AFP by phone.

He said waiters who served them beforehand had heard the guests shouting at each other. They could not understand as they were speakin g in Chinese.

“They are all friends who apparently figured in an argument,” Patero said, citing the waiters.

Light House security guard Ronnie Dacua said he heard gunshots and attempted to get inside the function room, but when he realized his gun jammed he instead called the police for assistance.

Chinese embassy spokesperson Lingxiao Li said they are still verifying reports of the incident. (With reports from AFP and Madel S. Namit)