ILOILO — A patient’s watcher sustained a minor injury after a security guard’s service firearm accidentally discharged at a district hospital in Guimbal, Iloilo on Friday morning, October 2.
The victim, who was sitting in the waiting area of the Rep. Pedro G. Trono Memorial Hospital, was hit in the forehead by debris after a bullet shattered the floor tiles, according to Police Captain Alberto Manguilimotan, Jr. officer-in-charge of the Guimbal Municipal Police Station.
Initial investigation showed that incoming security guard of the hospital identified as alias “Johnny” was inspecting the .9mm service firearm during shift turnover from outgoing guard alias “Rik.”
Although Rik had cleared the firearm and removed its magazine before handing it over, Johnny re-checked the weapon. Believing it was unloaded, he pointed the gun toward the tiled floor and pulled the trigger, but it unexpectedly discharged.
Manguilimotan told Aksyon Radyo Iloilo in an interview that a mechanical defect in the firearm may have caused the accidental firing.
As of press time, police were awaiting the victim’s decision on whether to file formal charges against the security guard./PN
