A TEENAGER was accidentally killed while a man was hurt when a soldier reportedly got mad after he was apparently insulted in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 10, 2021.
The victim, 15, whose name is being withheld and a resident of Purok Gemelina in Barangay 1, succumbed to a lone gunshot wound on her chest, Kabankalan City Police Station Deputy Chief Police Lieutenant Denis Melgarejo, said.
Injured was Felix Estomo, 52, also of Barangay 1, who sustained a wound on his left shoulder and was treated at Kabankalan District Hospital, Melgarejo said.
Initial investigation showed that Sergeant Lito Valdevieso of the 94th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army based in Barangay Orong in Kabankalan City was having a drinking spree at the house of a certain John Padernal when Esotomo arrived and joined in.
Melgarejo said Estomo asked Valdevieso to show his identification cards proving that he is a member of the army, which the latter was said to have taken offense to.
The soldier drew his firearm and shot Estomo who was trying to escape but accidentally hit the daughter of Padernal.
Recovered from Valdevieso’s possession was a fired cartridge in its chamber, loaded with a magazine containing nine live cartridges of .45 caliber pistol while three fired cartridges and deformed slug of the same caliber were recovered from the crime scene.
Valdevieso is now under police custody and may face charges for homicide and frustrated homicide.