Guard kills self at Malate hotel

MANILA, Philippines - A security guard who liked to play with his agency-issued handgun and point it at his co-employees shot himself, apparently by accident, at a hotel he was guarding in Malate, Manila Monday afternoon.

Lumil Ocampo, 26, a security guard of M and S Security Agency, died on the spot at the main entrance of the Pearl Lane Hotel in front of his co-workers.

Senior Police Officer 2 Ronald Gallo said Ocampo was preparing to go off duty when he suddenly drew his gun and pointed it at fellow guards Rene Luces and Joemar Saquibal. Ocampo liked to do this whenever he has an opportunity, Gallo said.

Luces told police he tried to dissuade Ocampo from playing with the gun, but the victim leveled the handgun at his right temple and squeezed the trigger.

The two guards immediately reported the incident to their superior, who reported the incident to the police.

The hotel’s manager, James Guash, showed investigators footage taken by the hotel’s surveillance camera, confirming the account of the two witnesses.