ILOILO City — A personal dispute between two security guards from the same agency escalated into a shooting incident in broad daylight on Monday morning, January 5, leaving one guard wounded and raising fresh concerns over firearm control among on-duty security personnel in Iloilo City.
The incident occurred around 9:15 a.m. at the corner of Delgado and Mabini streets in the City Proper, a busy commercial area, according to Iloilo City Police Station 1.
Police said the suspect, Regimar Tupaz, 29, an on-duty guard assigned to a motorcycle parts establishment, shot the victim, 30-year-old Willy Salazar, following a heated confrontation stemming from an earlier misunderstanding.
“Ang confrontation dira sa atubang mismo sang commercial establishment nga gina-ubrahan sang suspect. May ara sila previous binaisay, kag kaina nag lab-utanay naman sila asta nga may physical confrontation,” said Captain Melchor Arbis Tolentino, officer-in-charge of Police Station 1, in an interview with Panay News.
Tolentino stressed that the shooting was not related to their official duties.
“Personal ini. Na-discover naton isa lang sila ka agency. Lain nga location ang gina-duty-han sang biktima,” he added.
The confrontation turned violent after the victim allegedly pushed Tupaz, prompting the suspect to draw his issued .9mm pistol and fire several shots.
“Ang biktima ara subong sa ospital nagapabulong. May pilas ini siya sa magtimbang nga paa kag sa buli. Ang nabatian sang aton mga witnesses tatlo ka lupok,” Tolentino said.
After the shooting, Tupaz reportedly went back inside his workplace and surrendered his firearm to his colleagues.
Responding police officers recovered the .9mm pistol, along with one magazine containing three live rounds of ammunition.
Tolentino said the gun was properly issued and registered to the suspect.
Tupaz is now in police custody./PN
