Guard accidentally fires gun, hits woman and her son

CEBU, Philippines - A woman and her six-year-old son were injured after a security guard accidentally fired his service firearm in Barangay Calamba, Cebu City yesterday afternoon.

Police report said Emmanuel Troy Ybañez and her mother, Christine Joy Cavan, 26, were hit by the splinters when the 12-gauge shotgun of Felipe Selerio, Jr., suddenly went off while the victims were passing by the area on their way home.

Homicide Section investigation showed the victims were from the boy’s school and were walking home supposedly to eat lunch.

Selerio, who works with St. Jude Security Agency, was opening the gate of Rattan Center Cebu International on A. Lopez Street where he is assigned, when he suddenly lose grip of the sling in his right arm that carried the gun.

The security guard, who has worked as security guard for two years, opened the gate for the car of his employer, Mark Arantilla, to get out of the establishment.

In an interview, Selerio said the gun hit the ground and suddenly went off.

The victims, who were passing by some five meters away, were hit with the splinters.

“Naugbok gyud, nya ming-buto,” the suspect, who claimed to be suffering from fever yesterday, said. The trigger of a shotgun is said to be sensitive that it can be easily pulled.

He said Cavan immediately hugged her crying son who was already injured in the right side of his head. Cavan was also sustained minor injuries in her right foot and nape. Some personnel of the establishment rushed the victims to Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center where they were treated and are already stable.

Selerio waited for the responding policemen to arrive and voluntarily surrendered.

Police recovered his gun issued by the security agency along with the remaining ammunition. The police also recovered an empty shell of the shotgun at the crime scene.

The security guard is now in custody of the Homicide Section while waiting for charges the victims may file against him.

Meanwhile, a 62-year-old farmer was hacked dead by his own nephew in the mountain barangay of Magsaysay, Balamban Sunday afternoon.

An earlier verbal tussle reportedly led Roldan Bonghanoy, 27, to hack his uncle Bernardo Panit several times in his body which caused the latter’s immediate death.

Investigation conducted by SPO3 Arvie Banati showed the victim and the suspect, both farmers, were drinking intoxicating liquor at the nearby market in Barangay Tabunan, Cebu City few hours prior to the incident.

In the middle of their session, the two engaged in a verbal tussle and ended up separating their ways about 5 p.m.

The suspect headed home first and the victim followed later.

However, the suspect, who was just waiting for the victim to appear, hacked the latter several times using a cutlass and fled.   - (THE FREEMAN)