Philippine university shooting: Three people including ex-Mayor killed, one wounded

At least three people, including a former Philippine town mayor were shot dead and others injured in a shooting incident that occured at 14:55 local time (0655 GMT) at the gate of Ateneo De Manila University in Quezon City, Philippines. An unidentified gunman barged into the university campus in the capital region of Philippine's Metro Manila and carried out the dastardly attack ahead of the planned visit of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Alexander Gesmundo. 

Ex mayor of Lamitan town killed

Among those killed are former mayor of Lamitan town in southern Basilan province Rosita Furigay as well as her aide and a university guard. Mayor's daughter Hannah Rose Furigay was reported as wounded and taken to nearby hospital by the police responding to the incident. Her injuries are unspecified as she is being attended by the doctors at the hospital. 

Manila police said in a statement that the assailant was armed with two pistols and was apprehended by the officers at the university gate. The university was placed under the lockdown and a graduation ceremony also had to be cancelled at the law school. Supreme Court Chief Justice Gesmundo was invited at the university as the speaker at the ceremony and was on his way when the incident took place. He was then asked to stop and turn around due to the safety concerns, according to the state affiliated reports. 

“This kind of incident has no place in our society and must be condemned to the highest level,” Quezon city Mayor Joy Belmonte said in a statement, as she derided the attack. 

The shooting happened even when there was heavy security at the university gate. "I confirm that the suspect commandeered a vehicle inside Ateneo and drove toward Aurora Boulevard so we caught him on Aurora Boulevard," said Quezon City Police Department Director Brigadier General Remus Medina in a statement to American broadcaster CNN. Philippine National Police was deployed in heavy numbers on-site.