Soldier in Abra accidentally kills colleague while cleaning his gun

Abra, Philippines – Private First Class Archie Calawit, who was deployed in Lacub, Abra, phoned his family on Christmas Eve to inform them that he would be coming home before the end of December. His words, however, were left unfulfilled after a tragic incident occurred at their camp just hours later.

Police accounts revealed that Calawit, who was assigned to the 50th Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army in Lacub, was inside a hut serving as their kitchen at around 11:00 a.m. on December 25 when he was shot.

About 15 meters away from where Calawit was, his colleague was cleaning his service firearm, described as a 9mm pistol, when it accidentally discharged. The bullet traveled toward Calawit, hitting him in the lower left shoulder and lodging in his upper chest. The bullet did not exit his body.

Calawit was rushed to the Rural Health Unit but was declared dead on arrival. The other soldier involved in the incident later surrendered to the Lacub Municipal Police Station.

In an interview with local media, Eduardo Calawit, the victim’s father, recalled that his son called them on Christmas Eve, saying he would come home before the end of the month.

“‘Kamusta kayo ngay?’ Mayat kunami. ‘Sumangpetak nu tapos kunana,’” the elder Calawit recounted, adding that they were informed of the incident through a phone call from his son’s cousin.

Calawit’s remains were brought to their residence in Baguio City.

In the Cordillera Region, deaths due to similar accidental firearm discharges while guns were being cleaned have been reported.

On January 2, 2024, in Baguio City, a 26-year-old policeman died after accidentally shooting himself while cleaning his service firearm inside his home in Barangay Pinsao Pilot. He was declared dead on arrival at the Baguio City Hospital.

Another case occurred in Abra on September 27, 2023, when a police corporal in Bangued fatally shot himself with his 9mm pistol while cleaning it in preparation for an inspection.