Taguig police inspect confiscated firearms in Sitio Pusawan, Barangay Ususan, Taguig City, following a land dispute (Photo from NCRPO)
Violence erupted during a land dispute in Taguig City, leaving eight people injured, five of them struck by ricocheting shotgun pellets after two security guards fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.
According to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the incident occurred on June 23 in Block 1, Sitio Pusawan, Barangay Ususan, Taguig.
A confrontation broke out between two opposing groups over a contested property.
Security guards saw individuals allegedly constructing a shanty inside the disputed area. When the guards approached and ordered them to stop, one person reportedly grabbed a shotgun from a guard, sparking a struggle.
Two guards then fired warning shots, but the pellets ricocheted and struck five individuals. Three guards were also injured during the confrontation.
Taguig police personnel responded to contain the situation, arresting the three guards and five injured individuals.
Authorities also confiscated 13 firearms issued to the security personnel -- including pistols, revolvers, and shotguns -- for forensic examination.
The guards will undergo paraffin testing, while the seized firearms will be subjected to ballistic analysis by the Southern Police District Crime Laboratory.
The injured individuals were taken to the Taguig-Pateros District Hospital for treatment before being placed under police custody for the filing of charges.
Investigators are preparing counter-charge complaints before the Taguig City Prosecutor’s Office.
The three guards may face attempted homicide charges, while the five individuals may face attempted robbery charges.
“Property issues must be resolved through lawful processes, not through intimidation, aggression, or the misuse of firearms,” said Major Gen. Anthony Aberin, National Capital Region Police Office director.