‘Toy gun’ kills 7-yr-old boy

THE Sta. Cruz Police Station in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur revealed on their investigation that the seven-year-old child who was fatally shot dead by his 10-year-old playmate on Wednesday morning, January 31, 2024, believed the improvised handmade gun was a “toy gun”.

Both the victim, alias “Bag”, and the suspect, alias “Mak”, are residents of Sitio Tubison, Barangay Astorga in the said municipality.

Based on the initial investigation conducted by Police Staff Sergeant Frederick Laranio, the suspect, out of curiosity, accidentally pointed the gun into the victim’s chest and fired two shots.

The victim was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead on arrival by the attending doctors.

Following the incident, the victim’s mother who is an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW) based in Saudi Arabia posted a message on Facebook, explaining her current situation abroad.

“Ako si Mery Joy Flores Rey Joy Flores, taga Mahongkog, Magpet, North Cotabato. Naa ko diri karon sa Saudi Arabia, nangayu og tabang nga maka uli ko sa Pinas. Gitugtan ko sa akong amo pero akoa daw ang ticket, wala paman koy tigum kay pila palang ko kabulan dinhi

(I am Mery Joy Flores Rey Joy Flores, from Mahongkog, Magpet, North Cotabato. I am now here in Saudi Arabia, asking for help to be able to return home to the Philippines. My employers allowed me but I will be the one to shoulder the [plane] ticket. I do not have enough savings yet because I have been here only for a couple of months now),” she said.

Mak is turned over to the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao del Sur (DSWD-Davao del Sur) under its child care program. /