Actor playing masked gunman shot dead by watchman

[Da Qiao]

Actor playing masked gunman shot dead by watchman

AP
Published Nov 1 2010

A village watchman in the central Philippines allegedly mistook an actor playing a masked gunman in a British film for a real assassin and fatally shot him, police said Monday. Watchman Eddie Cuizon tried to accost Filipino actor Kirk Abella late Saturday then shot him as the actor was directed to speed away on a motorcycle with a masked driver, said community police chief Alexis Relado of central Cebu city's Parian district.

Cuizon, 52, told police he was sleeping and was woken up by a concerned citizen who reported the presence of armed men in his community. He told police he saw two masked men on a motorcycle and approached them but they sped away and he stumbled as he tried to stop them, injuring his knee. He fired at Abella when the actor pulled out a gun, which turned out to be made of plastic, Relado said.

Many street killings in the Philippines, including those of political activists and journalists, have been perpetrated by motorcycle-riding gunmen. Abella, 32, was one of the actors in the movie "Going Somewhere," being shot by British theater and film director Alan Lyddiard in Cebu, Relado said. Lyddiard's website says the movie is about a fictional documentary filmmaker's travails in Cebu, where he plans to make a movie about the first circumnavigation of the world by Ferdinand Magellan, whose voyage to the Philippines led to its colonization by Spain.

Magellan was killed by a native chief on Mactan island near Cebu in 1521. Lyddiard and members of his crew, including a Filipino woman who had arranged for police assistance with traffic and crowd control in Parian, could not be reached for comment. Cuizon will be charged with homicide and for violation of a gun ban, Relado said. - AP

 

[Masamune Date]

Actor playing gunman shot dead after he is mistaken for a real-life assassin

Actor playing gunman shot dead after he is mistaken for a real-life assassin

By Paul Thompson
Last updated at 2:19 PM on 2nd November 2010

Shot dead: Filipino actor Kirk Abella was killed when a village watchman allegedly mistook him for a real assassin

An actor playing a masked assassin was shot dead by a security guard on a British film being made in the Philippines after being mistaken for a real-life killer. Kirk Abella was filming an action scene in which he plays an assassin taking part in a drive-by shooting. As the cameras rolled on the film set, a security guard who claims he was unaware of the film stumbled into the action.

Believing he was chasing after two real-life robbers, Eddie Cuizon opened fire with his handgun fatally wounding 32-year-old Abella in the back. The 51-year-old later told police he wasn't aware a film was being made and had been told by villagers about gunmen roaming the street.

Many assassinations of political figures take place by masked killers who use a motorbike for a fast getaway. The tragedy took place in the city of Cebu, central Philippines. British director Alan Lyddiard was filming 'Going Somewhere' with a cast of local actors. The actors were carrying plastic guns as they acted out a pivotal scene.

In mourning: Ingrid Ehavez shows a photo of her brother, Kirk (seen with a young relative, during his wake in Cebu City, Philippines

Police said Cuizon had been woken by other villagers and told gunmen were on the loose and looking for people to kill. The security guard told police that he attempted to approach two armed, masked men on motorcycles when they sped away.

DEATH ON FILM SETS

• In Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983), actor Vic Morrow and two child actors died after being struck by a helicopter during a segment of the film directed by John Landis.

• Actor Brandon Lee was shot in a freak accident on the set of The Crow in 1993. The gun fired at the son of legendary martial artist Bruce Lee was meant to just contain a blank. Unknown to anyone, a dummy bullet had earlier become lodged in the barrel - and the force with which it shot out was still enough to prove fatal.

• Vin Diesel's stunt double in xXx (2002) died during a parasailing scene in which he hit a bridge at high speed.
  

He said he stumbled, hurting his knee, and pulled out a .357 calibre a gun and fired, hitting Abella in the back. Cuizon was employed by a private security firm as night-watchman for the village and was not supposed to be armed. Local police chief Alexis Relado said Cuizon will be charged with murder. He said notices had been sent out by the filmmaker explaining he was shooting scenes in the village.

Reports from Cebu said Lyddiard had arranged for police assistance with traffic and crowd control. 'Going Somewhere' is about a fictional documentary filmmaker's travails in Cebu, where he plans to make a movie about the first circumnavigation of the world by Ferdinand Magellan, whose voyage to the Philippines led to its colonization by Spain. Lyddiard is the former artistic director of Northern Stage in Newcastle and the TAG Theatre Company, Glasgow. Lyddiard refused to comment.


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