ORMOC CITY — A 40-year-old construction worker was arrested after his firearm accidentally discharged and injured his girlfriend at around 11:30 a.m. on December 6, 2025, inside Maricar Beach Resort in Sitio Badiang, Barangay Lomonon, Palompon, Leyte.
The suspect, identified only as alias “Bryle,” married and a resident of Palompon, was taken into police custody following the incident. The victim, alias “Aiza,” of legal age and unemployed, also from Palompon, sustained a gunshot wound to her left leg.
Police said they were alerted by the resort owner, alias “Oscar,” who reported the gunshot. Responding officers arrived to find the victim being treated by members of the Palompon Emergency Rescue Team.
Initial investigation showed that the firearm belonged to the suspect, who is the victim’s live-in partner. The weapon was reportedly inside the suspect’s sling bag, which fell from a table, causing the pistol to fire accidentally and hit the victim.
When police asked the suspect to present documents for the firearm, he failed to produce any, leading to his immediate arrest for violations of Republic Act 10591 (Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act) and Republic Act 9165 (Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act).
Recovered from the suspect’s sling bag were a caliber .45 pistol with ammunition, personal items, cash, three mobile phones, and a heat-sealed sachet containing suspected shabu.
All evidence was marked and inventoried in the presence of required witnesses. The suspected shabu has been turned over to the Regional Forensic Unit 8 for quantitative examination.
Criminal charges are now being prepared against the suspect.
(ELVIE ROMAN ROA)
