Armed woman sneaks into Rama’s office

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama had the shock of his life last Tuesday after a “deranged” woman was able to sneak a gun into his office.

Defying the gun ban and the supposedly tight security at the City Hall, it was even the woman herself who informed SPO1 Arnyl Gumonit, one of the mayor’s security detail, about the contraband she was carrying.

The woman wrapped the .38 caliber handgun with paper.

Gumonit confiscated the gun after he was able to convince the woman to show it to him.

However, Rama ordered his security personnel to release the woman after he sensed during their conversation that she was not mentally stable.

City Hall employee Bernadette Senit narrated that the woman arrived at the Mayor’s Office shortly before noontime last Tuesday.

“Sige siya’g pangutana kon naa ba ang mayor ug kon unsa kuno ang contact numbers. Nahibulong mi kay wala g’yud mobiya ang babaye hangtud nga hapon na lang,” Senit said.

Rama’s secretary, Jovy Montecillo, said the woman wants to talk with the mayor but she told her that the mayor is busy with his commitments outside the City Hall.

Rama recalled that when he went out of his office past noon to attend an event, the woman approached her and handed him a letter.

“Asa diay ka? Basaha baya na’ng akong suwat ha?” Rama quoted the woman as saying.

In her letter, the woman said she found the gun in her cabinet and decided to bring it to the Mayor’s Office.

Ben Cafe, proprietor of the private security agency manning the City Hall, admitted that his guards were remiss of their duties.

Rama immediately ordered the relief of the concerned guards.

“Kuyaw kaayo. Kun tinuod pa kadto nga killer, patay na ko,” the mayor said.

It can be recalled that Rama ordered to tighten the security at the City Hall after John Pope, a Canadian national, killed two people before killing himself in the Marcelo Fernan Hall of Justice.

Pope had two guns when he entered the Palace to attend the hearing of his grave threats and malicious mischief cases.

Pope shot the complainant, Dr. Reynold Rafols, lawyer Jubian Achas and Assistant Prosecutor Maria Theresa Casiño before killing himself.

Rafols and Anchas died while Casiño survived. — /MBG (FREEMAN)