Armed man gunned down by police inside Archbishop's palace compound

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 10) -  An armed man who barged inside the compound of the Cebu Archbishop's palace on Tuesday morning was killed by police in a shootout.

Following investigation, the gunman was identified as 41-year-old Jeffrey Cañedo, son of retired Police Inspector Feliciano Cañedo.

Canedo rushed into the Archbishop palace compound in Cebu City wearing a mask and reportedly armed with a caliber .357 revolver.

A security guard assigned at the palace gate told reporters that policemen involved in the scene tried to stop Cañedo, but the latter continued on inside the compound.

The guard, who also tried to stop the aggressor, told reporters the man was looking for Cebu Archbishop Jose Palma. The policemen in the encounter narrated that Cañedo fired at them first, triggering a shootout.

Cebu City Police Chief S/Supt. Royina Garma said the investigators are still looking into Cañedo's possible motives.

"Iimbestigahan natin kung bakit hinahanap (si Archbishop), bakit may dala siyang baril, at bakit ito ang gagawin niya," Garma told reporters after the incident.

[Translation: We will look into the motive: why he wanted to see the Archbishop, why he had a gun intact, and why he was going to do this.]

"We will also check into the security of the palace."

"So sabi ko kay Father, maybe when everything is okay na, we will discuss about the security nila dito."

[Translation: So I told Father, maybe when everything is okay or settled already, we will discuss about their security here.]

Following the shootout, police visited the Cañedo house in Tungkil, Minglanilla, Cebu, and were told by the father that the gunman had suffered from depression after being separated from his wife.

Regional Police Director Debold Sinas said they are further investigating the incident as they continue to check on the background of the suspect.

The PRO-7 director has also increased the security of the Archbishop's Palace compound, by assigning uniformed personnel at the gates and within the premises.

Sinas revealed that he is also planning to assign a police escort for Archbishop Palma, once he gains consent.

Meanwhile, in a statement sent out after the shootout, Cebu Archdiocese spokesperson Msgr. Joseph Tan said there is "no known prior threat to the Archbishop of Cebu." He also called for prayers, and that peace may eventually "be restored."

The palace is the official residence of the archbishop of Cebu.