Cavite mass shooter’s cohort to be arraigned

MANILA, Philippines - The multiple murder and multiple frustrated murder cases filed against John Paul Lopez, the house caretaker of slain Kawit, Cavite mass shooter Ronald Bae has been raffled off to Cavite Regional Trial Court Branch 22.

“He should be arraigned within 10 days since he is facing a non-bailable offense. We are just waiting for the arraignment date,” Cavite Chief Prosecutor Emmanuel Velasco told The STAR.

 Velasco said Lopez would be tried as a co-conspirator of Bae, who went on a shooting rampage in Barangay Tabon 1 in Kawit last Jan. 4, killing seven persons and wounding 10 others. Bae was shot dead by responding policemen, who stormed his house.

Investigation showed that Lopez helped reload the caliber .45 pistol that Bae used in the shooting. Lopez, however, claimed that he was under duress when he helped Bae reload the pistol.

Velasco said Lopez would be transferred from the custody of the Imus Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to the Cavite Provincial Jail after his arraignment.

Velasco said they would make sure that the hearings will not be delayed. “He would be treated like an ordinary criminal but we will object to any delay in the proceedings,” he said.