MRT-3 on shooting incident: Security personnel has no intention to kill

Metro Rail Transit line 3 (MRT-3) security personnel shot twice a trespasser who got on the railway tracks on Wednesday morning, but the management said there was no intent to kill.

Citing the initial report by the management’s safety and security unit, Department of Transportation Communication’s Director Goddes Libiran said that security guard Frederico Bustamante first fired two warning shots “to control his behavior.”

However, the intruder reportedly continued to throw rocks at three security personnel of the MRT-3 and two police officers. 

READ: MRT guard shoots trespasser creating trouble on rail tracks

He sustained two gunshot wounds in his left leg and right foot. The management noted that only one shot directly hit the victim’s body but they could not determine which shot. The other shot only grazed a portion of his skin.

“The action done by the involved security personnel did not show any intention of killing the intruder, rather, to incapacitate him in order to control his aggressiveness,” Libiran said in a statement.

Based on the investigation of MRT-3, the victim entered the rail tracks through a fence between posts 3 and 4 near the Ayala station. When he saw that the guards noticed him, he immediately ran towards the Magallanes station.

About five personnel — three guards from the MRT and 2 others from the Philippine National Police (PNP) — went down the tracks to apprehend the suspect.

“When the intruder was cornered by the authorities, the former had started to throw rocks,” Libiran said.

This, according to the DOTr official, prompted Bustamante to fire the warning shots.

The victim was rushed to the Ospital ng Makati for treatment while Bustamante surrendered to the police and was brought to Police Community Precinct 5 in Makati City. /ee