DAVAO CITY — A 35-year-old laborer was shot dead by a 20-year-old student during a drinking session in Barangay Biao Guianga, Tugbok District, in the early hours of Wednesday, January 7, 2026, police said.
The victim, identified by the alias “Federico,” sustained a fatal gunshot wound that entered through the nose and exited at the back of his head. He was declared dead on the spot.
Police identified the suspect as “Jervy,” 20, a resident of Purok 7 in the same barangay.
According to the Davao City Police Office, the suspect and the victim were drinking together at the suspect’s residence at around 1:00 a.m. when the incident occurred. Without warning, the suspect allegedly pulled out a 9mm pistol from his short pants and shot the victim.
Authorities said there were two witnesses to the shooting. However, the motive behind the attack remains unclear.
In his initial statement, the suspect claimed the shooting was accidental, insisting that the victim shot himself while on a video call with his girlfriend. Police, however, are treating the claim with skepticism as it contradicts the physical evidence and witness accounts.
Investigators revealed that the firearm used in the crime is registered under the name of the suspect’s father.
The Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) have already conducted a paraffin test on the suspect and recovered the empty shell casing at the crime scene. The firearm has also been submitted for ballistic examination to determine if it was indeed fired and to match it with the recovered casing.
Police said the collected evidence will be used in filing a murder case against the suspect.
The suspect is currently under police custody while further investigation is ongoing.