One dead, another injured after security guard in Benguet fires gun and sets bunkhouse on fire

Itogon, Benguet — One person was killed and another was injured after a shooting and fire incident at Atok Gold Mines in Sitio Assay, Barangay Gumatdang, Itogon, Benguet, on Monday night, October 27, both allegedly committed by the same individual.

According to initial police reports, the suspect was the officer-in-charge (OIC) of the mining site’s security team. He reportedly shot a colleague past 8:00 p.m. that evening due to an alleged personal problem.

Following the shooting, the suspect allegedly set their bunkhouse on fire, which quickly spread to nearby structures, including a staff house and an office building. The PAMANA-DSWD Gumatdang Community Livelihood Center, which contained grocery items and a tricycle used for livelihood operations, was also consumed by the blaze.

Authorities confirmed that one person died in the incident, but they have yet to determine whether the fatality was the shooter or another victim trapped in the fire. The condition of the injured individual remains undisclosed as of press time.

According to the Itogon Municipal Public Information Office (PIO-Itogon), nine families were affected after the fire escalated.

Mayor Bernard S. Waclin visited the site on Tuesday, October 28, to assess the damage and directed concerned municipal offices to provide immediate relief assistance to the victims.

The mayor also appealed to both the public and private sectors for donations to help the affected families recover from their losses.

As of this writing, authorities are conducting further investigation to apprehend the suspect and determine the full circumstances surrounding the incident.