Homicide raps filed vs 15-year-old boy in Maasin shooting

By Jennifer P. Rendon

Police investigators thumbed down the claim of a 15-year-old lad that his 12-year-old playmate died in a case of accidental gun discharge in Maasin, Iloilo.

In fact, police believed that alias Jay was the one who killed the victim.

Armed with circumstantial testimonies from several witnesses, the Maasin Municipal Police Station filed an inquest case for homicide against Jay before the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutors Office on Thursday, Jan. 18.

Major Jose Nemias Pamplona, Maasin police chief, said their investigation led them to believe that there was a foul play in the death of alias Jimmy.

“Jay’s allegations don’t simply add up,” he said.

The teenager, a Grade 9 student, claimed that Jimmy showed him a firearm but claimed that it had no bullet in the chamber.

It was then that Jay asked the victim to go with him to his stepfather’s house since he saw bullets being kept there.

Jay added that the victim loaded bullets in the gun’s chamber.

Jimmy then aimed the gun at Jay and pressed the trigger. But the gun did not go off.

Jay added that the victim then aimed the gun at himself. Unfortunately, the gun went off.

When police and personnel of the Maasin Rural Health Unit arrived, Jay was no longer in the area.

Around 5:30 a.m. of the following day, Jay was turned over to the police and personnel of the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO).

Jimmy died of gunshot injuries on his chest and hand.

Based on the autopsy result, it’s unlikely that the victim shot himself.

“He was not shot at a close range. There were also powder burns found on his body,” Pamplona said.

Police are now waiting for the results of paraffin tests conducted on both Jimmy and Jay.

But given the circumstantial evidence and testimonies we have gathered, “we are inclined to believe that Jay is the suspect,” Pamplona said.