LRT to punish guard for accidental shooting

MANILA, Philippines - The Light Rail Transit Authority (LRTA) said it will punish a security guard who accidentally fired his service shotgun at the LRT Line 1 EDSA-Taft station and wounded seven persons.

LRTA corporate secretary and spokesman Hernando Cabrera said they have ordered Taizen Security Agency not to deploy erring guard Roel Bustarde, 22, and his immediate superior to LRT Lines 1 and 2.

“It was an isolated incident. It was an accidental firing case. Just the same, we have instructed the security agency not to deploy anymore the erring guard to us. We have also called on a performance review of the security agency,” Cabrera said.

Cabrera said the seven persons who suffered minor injuries in the accidental shooting have been discharged from the San Juan de Dios Hospital, “their hospital bills paid for by the security agency.”

Four of the victims are pedicab dispatchers while three are bystanders.