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

By Paul Thompson
Last updated at 3:18 PM on 2nd November 2010

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.

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.

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.

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1325784/Actor-Kirk-Abella-shot-dead-mistaken-real-life-assassin.html