Kid killed by ‘holen gun’

PARANG, Maguindanao (MindaNews) – A “holen gun,” an improvised PVC pipe gun powered by alcohol loaded with “holen” or marble, killed a five-year old boy in a remote village of Parang town in Maguindanao.

The suspect is the victim’s playmate-cousin, also a minor.

Lt. Col. Ebrahim Jambiran, Parang chief of police said the incident happened in Sitio Mangosteen in Barangay Gumagadong-Calawag past noon on Thursday.

“His cousin accidentally squeezed the trigger, not noticing it was loaded with a marble bullet that hit badly his younger cousin in the head,” said Jambiran.

There were efforts to save the life of the victim, but he was declared dead on arrival at a hospital in Cotabato City.

Holen guns in rural parts of Maguindanao are usually used to hunt birds or drive away monkeys and wild boars attacking farmers’ crops.

It is powerful and considered a deadly weapon by the police.

Jambiran appealed to locals to stop using holen gun, saying those found possessing it could face criminal charges.

The suspect was turned over to the Municipal Social Welfare Office for psychosocial intervention.

The victim was set to be buried Friday morning according to Muslim rites.