Gun owners reminded to be responsible in carrying firearms

BACOLOD City Police Office (BCPO) director Ricardo De la Paz reminded on Tuesday firearms holders to be responsible enough in carrying of their firearms to avoid incidents.

De la Paz issued the statement after a businessman was injured when he was shot by a security guard because of a traffic altercation at the parking lot of University of St. La Salle (USLS) last Friday.

Antonio Villanueva Jr., 55, a businessman and resident of Oasis Subdivision, Barangay Mansilingan was injured after he was shot by Jose Pelegro, 48, a security guard and was assigned at the courtyard of USLS, and resident of Hacienda San Isidro, Cadiz City, Negros Occidental, police record showed.

“The firearms holders should have discipline and control their patience to avoid any untoward incidents and it should be used in a right way,” De la Paz said.

He said based on investigation by Station 4, it showed that it was only self-defense by the security guard to shoot the businessman who fired at the guard first.

Because of survival instinct, the security guard shot the victim when the suspect was about to shot him, De la Paz added.

He said if the victim will not file charges against the suspect within the reglementary detention period, the security guard will be released from the lock up cell of Station 4. (Merlinda A. Pedrosa)