His victims buried today John Pope cremated

CEBU, Philippines - The remains of Canadian national John Pope, who shot dead a doctor and a lawyer and critically injured a prosecutor before shooting himself at the Palace of Justice last Tuesday, was cremated Friday night.

Pope’s ashes are reportedly now in the possession of one Iris Amadiong from Negros Occidental whom Pope had helped when he was still alive.

Jose Arnel Sumampong, security guard of the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, told The FREEMAN that Pope’s body was brought to them last Wednesday. The cremation lasted four hours, from 7 to 11 pm.

His lawyer, Froilan Quijano, told The FREEMAN he has no direct contact with the family of Pope. Quijano represented Pope in his cases for illegal possession of firearm and grave threats pending with the courts.

“I have no firsthand knowledge as to the arrival of Pope’s sister here in Cebu. I only learned it from the media. In fact, I emailed her but there was no response yet,” he said.

Last Wednesday, he said Iris Adiong called him and asked about Pope’s death certificate.When asked who Iris was, Quijano said he met her in Negros Occidental as one of the beneficiaries of Pope and who is now of legal age. He added it was Iris who coordinated with the Canadian consulate and has a direct contact with the family of Pope.

Contrary to the requested autopsy, the police conducted only a physical examination of Pope’s body because the Canadian Embassy did not give its consent, said Cebu City Police Office head Mariano Natuel.

Natuel said that through their post-mortem examination, they were able to determine that the bullet went through Pope’s head. The bullet would have been essential in the investigation to solve the puzzle on whether Pope really shot himself in the head after he was shot by two police officers.

Natuel said they have in possession four slugs of a caliber .357 revolver  believed to be from Pope’s gun. Two of the slugs, he said, were recovered from Branch 6, where Dr. Reynold Rene Rafols and lawyer Jubian Achas were shot, another one at Branch 1 where fiscal Ma. Theresa Casiño was shot and the fourth bullet at the ground floor where Pope died.

Apart from a witness whose testimonies were already written as affidavit, the CCPO officer-in-charge further disclosed that they have strong evidence that would prove that Pope indeed shot himself.

“As per conversation with Dr. (Nestor) Sator (who conducted post-mortem examination), strands of hair where found on the barrel of Pope’s gun,” Natuel said, saying that this indicates that Pope committed suicide.

With regards to the case against Pope, Quijano said the case will be dismissed considering his death but they have to present a death certificate.

Quijano said before Pope died, the latter spoke to him of his disappointment on the justice system in the country because of corruption and the delays in hearings.

Quijano had explained to Pope that this is the reality and he has no choice but to accept it.

Today, Dr. Rafols and Atty. Achas will be buried. A mass will be held at the Redemptorist Church at 1 p.m. (FREEMAN)