Charges filed vs Guimaras drive-by shooting suspect

By Jennifer P. Rendon

A criminal case has been filed against the suspect in the August 23 drive-by shooting in Buenavista, Guimaras.

Two counts of attempted homicide were filed against the suspect, identified only as “Dave,” 32, also a resident of Buenavista town.

Colonel Rhea Santos, Guimaras police chief, stated that the case was filed before the Guimaras Provincial Prosecutors’ Office on Sept. 2, 2024.

The suspect is accused of firing a gun that wounded a three-year-old boy.

The child, referred to as Nonoy (not his real name), a resident of Sitio Igsungay, Barangay Cansilayan, Buenavista, was with his mother when the gunman fired at a laundry shop in Barangay Supang around 4:40 p.m. on that Friday.

Nonoy’s mother, 31-year-old Lelanie, told police investigators that she was inside the Neomatrix Laundry Shop while her son was sitting outside when they heard successive gunshots.

Lelanie claimed to have seen the gunman after he partially rolled down the window of his Nissan compact crossover SUV.

Seconds later, she realized that her son had sustained a graze wound on his right buttock.

The boy was brought to Dr. Catalino Gallego Nava Provincial Hospital for treatment and was later released from the hospital.

Initial investigation revealed that the gunman intentionally fired at the laundry shop. He shot at the cemented floor of the shop, but the bullet ricocheted and hit the child.

It is theorized that the suspect became angry after his parents, both reportedly U.S. citizens, had a verbal altercation recently.

The suspect’s mother allegedly confronted his father about why he used the services of the laundry shop when they have a washing machine at home.

The argument escalated, with the mother accusing the father of going to the laundry shop because he was interested in the attendant.

This domestic dispute may have provoked the son, leading him to take out his anger on the laundry shop.