Army captain shoots dead major after LQ with girlfriend
A Philippine Army (PA) captain went on a rampage and shot dead an Army major inside Camp Weene Martillana in Pili, Camarines Sur on Saturday, June 18, after he had a heated argument with his girlfriend.
Colonel Xerxes Trinidad, PA spokesperson, said the Army leadership was already conducting an investigation on the incident involving the suspect, Capt. Martin Anosa Jr., administration officer of the PA 5th Finance Service Field Office of the 9th Infantry Division (9ID), who allegedly committed suicide after shooting to death Major Garry Masedman, executive officer of the same unit.
Another officer, Sgt. Manuel Colico Jr., who is also assigned in the said unit, was injured in the incident. The shooting took place around 1:30 a.m.
“The Army leadership is saddened about the shooting incident that happened in CamSur early morning yesterday ,” Trinidad told reporters on Sunday, June 19.
Initial investigation revealed that prior to the shooting incident, Anosa had a heated argument with his girlfriend inside the military camp. The girl’s identity was withheld as of this writing.
“Nagkaroon po ng kaunting heated argument sa kanyang kasintahan itong si captain and at the same time medyo humingi po ng tulong itong girlfriend ano, so pumunta po ito, humingi ng tulong sa opisina (A heated argument occurred between the captain and his girlfriend and she sought help from the office),” Trinidad narrated.
“At the same time, sumusunod naman po pala ito si captain na kung saan nakita niya ang paghingi ng tulong doon kay major so nagkataon po si major ang nakita kaagad ng suspect natin at ito po ay pinaputukan po kaagad (At the same time, the captain followed his girlfriend until he saw her asking help from Major so the suspect immediately shot him),” he added.
The suspect also shot Sgt. Colico who tried to help Major Masedman.
Anosa then went back to his apartment unit where he was found by the other officers with a bullet to the head. Trinidad said the suspect must have shot himself while a suicide note was found beside him.
Meanwhile, Masedman and Colico were rushed to the hospital but the former was declared dead on arrival by the attending doctors after sustaining a gunshot wound in the right eye. Colico, on the other hand, was out of harm’s way and is in a stable condition.
Trinidad said the PA was investigating the cause of the argument between the suspect and his girlfriend which triggered the shooting rampage.
“The Army does not tolerate criminal acts by its personnel and will closely cooperate with the PNP in the conduct of its investigation,” Trinidad said.
The Army spokesperson said the incident was an “isolated case.” He also clarified that the personnel involved were not members of the infantry unit but of the Finance Service Field Office.
“The Finance Service Field Office is based inside the camp. They provide financial services to our personnel,” he explained.