PSG officer found dead after shooting incident at Malacañang compound

The Presidential Security Group (PSG) on Tuesday said its officer was found dead after a shooting incident inside Malacañang Park.

PSG commander Brigadier General Lope Dagoy identified the officer as Major Harim Gonzaga, who was promoted just last year from the rank of captain.

Dagoy said the 37-year-old Gonzaga, a member of the operations section in charge of PSG deployment, was found dead by his wife at around 8:50 a.m.  inside his quarters at the PSG compound, where President Rodrigo Duterte's Bahay Pagbabago is also located, across the Pasig River from the Malacañan Palace.

Gonzaga sustained a single gunshot wound on his chest. Dagoy said his personal firearm was found at the scene.

“When she arrived in their quarters, she found her husband lying dead,” he said.

“Sabi naman niya malambot pa raw ang asawa niya. Nag-attempt pa raw siya [i-revive],” he added.

He said crime scene investigators found no foul play and that there was no other person involved in the incident.

There were also no signs of struggle inside the quarters. He added that someone heard a gunshot but the soldier dismissed it because the quarters were beside the firing range.

Dagoy, however, could not say if the PSG officer committed suicide or if it was a case of accidental firing.

He said that the Philippine National Police-Scene of the Crime Operatives was still conducting an initial investigation on the cause of the incident.

“We really cannot speculate… We do not have all the data to conclude,” Dagoy said.

He said that PSG would lead the investigation on the matter.

Gonzaga is survived by his wife Sheila, a PSG member and part of the presidential escort, and their two children. They will receive financial assistance from the PSG, the commander said.

Dagoy said Gonzaga’s wife was hysterical when he saw her. He said that the PSG officer only complained about his workload, according to his wife. The PSG commander said it would not be enough reason for Gonzaga to take his life, if ever.

“Sa G3 kasi, iyon ang medyo busy na mabigat na functions ng PSG… But he already served for more than year,” he said.

“On the psychological aspect... medyo kailangan magpahinga, kailangan gabayan and it would not lead to incidents like this, if that is the cause,” he added.

PSG spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Michael Aquino added that Gonzaga was a Special Forces officer.

He said the PSG officer joined the Armed Forces of the Philippines through the Officer Candidate School.

No effect in deployment

Dagoy presumed that Duterte was at Bahay Pagbabago during the incident, but he added that the PSG quarters would be too far away from the presidential house.

He said that Special Assistant to the President Secretary Christopher “Bong” Go had already been informed about the incident.

Dagoy said the incident would not affect the deployment of PSG members.

“Every now and then, normal sa amin nagro-rotate,” he said.

Dagoy added that the incident would also be unlikely to affect the President’s security. —ALG/KG, GMA News