LAWYER SHOT DEAD

BLOODED CAR. Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) personnel check on the vehicle of lawyer Gerik Paderanga, who was shot by a security guard in front of his law firm in Barangay Santa Cruz past 8 p.m. of Dec. 22, 2016. (CDN PHOTO/LITO TECSON)

With just three days before Christmas, shock engulfed Cebu’s legal community in the wake of the killing last night of a prominent Cebuano lawyer and the wounding of his son, also a lawyer.

Lawyers Goering Paderanga Sr. and his son Gerik were shot and wounded by a security guard near their law firm at F. Ramos Street in Barangay Santa Cruz, Cebu City at past 8 p.m. on Thursday.

The older Paderanga, 62, also the husband of Cebu Regional Trial Court Judge Sylva A. Paderanga, sustained a gunshot wound on his body and died at the nearby Velez Hospital around two hours later, at past 10 p.m., according to PO3 Gerry Genelaso of the Cebu City Police Office’s Homicide Section.

Gerik, 37, the oldest of the three children of Goering and Sylva, was hit in the nape and remained in critical condition in the same hospital as of 11 p.m., revealed Genelaso.

The two victims were earlier rushed to Velez Hospital, located just a few meters from where they were shot.

A witness said a security guard, identified as Jonathan Sanchez, was apparently lying in wait for Gerik and shot the latter shortly after he stepped out of his law firm, the Paderanga, Iway and Nonato law firm.

Witness account

Gerik had just boarded his vehicle, an Isuzu Trooper, when the assailant rushed forward and shot him in the head.

A househelp and Gerik’s one-year-old nephew, who were with him in the vehicle, managed to run.

When he heard the bursts of gunfire, Goering rushed out of the law firm. The assailant also shot Goering before he fled on board a public utility vehicle, the witness whose identity is being withheld, said.

Genelaso said they have yet to determine the motive behind the attack.

The witness told Cebu Daily News that no verbal argument took place before the shooting happened.

“Gidiretso ra gyud niya og pagpusil (He just shot the victims without any provocation),” he said.

The witness said he knew the suspect since the latter was the guard on duty of a newly constructed building located about 50 meters away from the Paderanga law firm.

The witness said Sanchez covered his uniform with a jacket when he shot the victims. The witness was about 50 meters away from the crime scene when the shooting happened.

Judge Paderanga, the presiding judge of RTC Branch 16, could not be reached for comment.

The judge, the vice president for the Visayas of Fida (Federacion International de Abogadas) Philippines, and Goering were former classmates and fellow member of the University of the Philippines Law Alumni Cebu Foundation Inc. They have three children, namely, Gerik Caesare, Georgeane Golda and Goering George Jr.

In shock

Lawyer Hidelito Pascual, the president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City chapter, was shocked to learn about the incident.
Pascual said he and Goering Paderanga have been good friends since they were members of the Rotary Club of Cebu.

He said he could not find any possible reason why anybody would want to do him and his son harm since Goering is a good man and lawyer.

“He and his son are good persons. I don’t think there’s a reason why anybody would try to hurt them,” Pascual told Cebu Daily News by phone.

Pascual also believed it was not an act intended to get back at Judge Sylva Paderanga, Goering’s wife.

“Sylva is a very upright judge, wa ko kadungog og (I have not heard of) any controversy that involves her,” he said.

Retired Cebu RTC judge Mienrado Paredes also expressed disbelief over the shooting of the Paderangas.

“They are good lawyers, skilled in the practice of law. … I know Goering as a mild-mannered person. I cannot speculate on the motive of the guard except to say that there must be incidents which led to the shooting,” Paredes said.