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A year after Filipino lawyer’s slay in US, justice remains elusive

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Members of the Laylo family receive the remains of Atty. John Albert Laylo receives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport complex in Pasay City on June 29, 2022. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/06/22/20220629-laylo-remains-naia-md-17.jpg"/><figcaption>Members of the Laylo family receive the remains of Atty. John Albert Laylo receives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport complex in Pasay City on June 29, 2022. <em>Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — A year after Filipino lawyer John Laylo was fatally shot in Philadelphia, justice remained elusive for him and his family.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/20/22/filipino-lawyer-visiting-relatives-in-us-shot-dead">Filipino lawyer visiting relatives in US shot dead</a></li></ul><p>The lawyer&#x27;s mother Leah Bustamante Laylo said police have yet to name suspects in her son&#x27;s death.</p><p>“Wala pong development, persons of interest po hanggang ngayon po,” she told ABS-CBN&#x27;s TeleRadyo.</p><p>(There is no development, we only have persons of interest until now.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/02/22/unpaid-hospital-bill-of-lawyer-killed-in-us-reached-p14m">Unpaid hospital bill of Pinoy lawyer shot dead in US reached P14M, family says</a></li></ul><p>Leah said her health had deteriorated since her son&#x27;s killing.</p><p>“Isang taon na po akong nahihirapan. Ooperahan po ako sa July 11 po, so, naapektuhan na rin yung katawan ko saka isip, nagpapa-psychologist na rin ho (ako),” she lamented.</p><p>(I have been suffering for a year. I will undergo surgery on July 11, so my body is already affected. I am also seeing a psychologist.)</p><p>Laylo, 35, was riding an Uber with his mother to visit his grandfather&#x27;s grave in Illinois when he was shot in the back of the head.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/29/22/slain-filipino-lawyers-mom-shares-final-moments-with-son">Mother of Filipino lawyer shot dead in US shares final moments with son</a></li></ul><p>Quoting the Philadelphia police, Laylo&#x27;s family earlier said his death could have been a case of mistaken identity and the gunman appeared to have fired at the wrong vehicle that was similar to the one he was chasing. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2690327" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Philippine Consul-General in New York Senen Mangalile said US authorities have yet to identify suspects because they hoped to file an airtight case. </p><p>“Sa ngayon ang sagot sa atin ng Philadelphia Police Department ay patuloy pa silang kumukuha ng ebidensya sapagkat ayaw nilang magsampa lang ng kaso matatalo dahil sa technicality sapagkat meron po tayong tinatawag na double jeopardy rule,” he said.</p><p>“Basta isinampa nila yung kaso, kailangan maipanalo para makamtan natin ang hutisya. Pero kulang po yung ebidensya nila,” he explained.</p><p>(The Philadelphia Police Department is still looking for evidence because they don&#x27;t want to lose the case on a technicality. We have a double jeopardy rule--once they file a case, they have to win it because it is our only shot at justice. Right now the evidence is still insufficient.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/21/22/pinoy-lawyers-slay-in-us-may-be-mistaken-identity-case-family">Shooting of Filipino lawyer visiting US a possible &#x27;mistaken identity&#x27; case, says family</a></li></ul><p>Laylo was official counsel to former Vice President Leni Robredo&#x27;s campaign board of canvassers in Makati and a former staffer to Sen. Leila de Lima. He studied political science in the University of the Philippines and law at De La Salle University.</p><p>His mother appealed to the government not to let up in seeking justice for Laylo.</p><p>“Hindi po natin to bibitawan hanggang makuha natin yung hustisya para po kay John Albert,” Mangalile replied. </p><p>(We will not let up until we have achieved justice for John Albert.)</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/multimedia/photo/06/29/22/heartbreaking-reunion-for-laylo-family">Remains of Filipino lawyer shot in the US arrive in Manila</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2104516" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

A year after Filipino lawyer John Laylo was fatally shot in Philadelphia, justice remains elusive for him and his family.