BY MARTIN A. SADONGDONG
A Philippine Air Force (PAF) personnel allegedly struggling with mental health problem went on a shooting rampage Tuesday, killing his fellow airman and wounding an Army soldier inside the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Fort del Pilar, Baguio City.
Philippine Air Force (PAF) Airman Second Class Christopher Lim opened fire using an M16 rifle while inside their barracks in Fort del Pilar around 4:50 p.m. Tuesday, police said.
Staff Sgt. Joefrey Turqueza, an enlisted personnel of PAF, was killed on the spot while Philippine Army Staff Sgt. Vivencio Raton managed to subdue Lim after being wounded.
“With the initial probe conducted by PMA, it has been revealed that the shooting incident is an issue of mental health problem on the side of the shooter that led to this tragedy. Our soldiers, like any other person, may have been silently struggling with such ordeal,” said PMA spokesperson Major Cherryl Tindog.
According to military and police reports, Lim had a heated argument with Turqueza and Raton while inside their barracks.
At the height of the argument, Lim left the room and went to the second floor to get an M16 rifle. He then went back to the room where the victims were, and fired indiscriminately, the reports said.
Although wounded, Raton managed to subdue Lim and took away the rifle.
Tindog said the incident was an “isolated case” and the PMA leadership “is doing its very best to look into every single detail leading to the incident and to provide the necessary solutions to ensure that no similar case will happen in the future.”
“In coordination with other stakeholders, the Academy is and will continue to be providing psycho-social intervention to identify and help its personnel who may have mental health problems, similar to what has been done for our cadets,” she said.
Tindog said Lim and Raton were still being treated at the Baguio General Hospital for their gunshot wounds. It was not disclosed where they were hit.
Meanwhile, the PMA also extended its condolences to the bereaved family of Turqueza even as Tindog assured that all the necessary assistance will be accorded to them.
Tindog vowed that the PMA will cooperate with the police while a deeper investigation is being done on the case. (Martin A. Sadongdong)
