Fast-food restaurant guard arrested for shooting street dweller

MANILA, Philippines—Pasay City policemen arrested Thursday afternoon a fast-food restaurant’s security guard, who allegedly shot and wounded a 34-year-old female street dweller during an argument over her daughter’s use of the restroom in the establishment.

Chief Inspector Joey Goforth, Pasay City police chief investigator, identified the suspect as Haron Kansay, 30, of the Global Shield security agency, who was assigned at the Chowking branch on FB Harrison Street.

The suspect, a resident of Taguig City, claimed self-defense in shooting Maricel Villegas, of FB Harrison Street, alleging that the victim was part of a group of street dwellers who had mobbed him.

Villegas remains confined at the Pasay City General Hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound in the right shoulder.

Goforth said that the shooting happened around 12:30 p.m. Thursday, outside the fast-food restaurant branch.

Before the shooting, Villegas’ 12-year-old daughter had entered the Chowking branch to use the restroom. But when the girl was leaving, she claimed she was slapped by the duty security guard Kansay on the nape and was kicked on the body.

The girl told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the security guard told her that she was prohibited from using the restroom during peak hours and lunch time. “He should not have allowed me to enter the restaurant, then. I was able to use the restroom and I thought it was okay.  He did not have to hit me,” she said.

The girl immediately told her mother about the assault, prompting an enraged Villegas to confront Kansay.

The irked security guard allegedly drew his .38-cal. revolver and shot the woman in the shoulder. Bystanders immediately grabbed Kansay and took the wounded victim to the nearest hospital.

At the police station, Kansay alleged that he fired at the woman out of self-defense and claimed that she had hit him on the shoulder with a lead pipe.

Asked why he assaulted the woman’s daughter, the security guard insisted that the girl violated a store policy banning outsiders from using the comfort room during peak hours.

Kansay remains detained at the Pasay City police headquarters pending the filing of a charge of frustrated homicide against him before the City Prosecutor’s Office.