KINGSTON, Jamaica—The Philippines is looking forward to strengthening its relations with the Caribbean island-state of Jamaica by opening new doors for increased trade and cooperation. Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr. conveyed President Aquino’s strong desire to further improve relations with Jamaica when he formally presented his credentials as Manila’s non-resident ambassador to Governor General Patrick […]
By Nimfa U. RuedaInquirer Correspondent 6:12 pm | Friday, May 31st, 2013 Philippine Ambassador to the US Jose Cuisia Jr. FILE PHOTO LOS ANGELES—The Philippine Embassy has joined the Filipino-American community in questioning the use of “disproportionate force” in subduing a Filipino-American woman who was fatally shot by police after reportedly creating a disturbance inside a wholesale store in Virginia. Mylene de Leon Scott, 38, was shot dead on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) by one of two police officers who responded to a reported disturbance at Costco Wholesale Store in Sterling, Virginia. In a statement released yesterday (Friday in Manila), Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia Jr. said “we share the concerns” expressed by the family of the victim and the Filipino-American community that police officers “may have responded with disproportionate force.” Loudoun County Sheriff Mike Chapman told NBC News that at about 3 p.m. Wednesday, the store employees noticed Scott acting strangely after running out of the pizza samples she was handing out. Witnesses said she became upset and started waving a knife and scissors, threatening employees. Chapman said that when the police officers arrived to handle the disturbance, Scott approached the officers with the sharp items. One deputy tried to use a stun gun on Scott, but the stun gun “did not work,” and another deputy fatally shot her, he added. ‘Expeditious investigation’ In its statement, the Philippine Embassy offered its condolences to the family of the victim and requested authorities to conduct “a thorough, impartial and expeditious investigation of Read More …