A 53-year-old mother remains under medical care after she was shot inside her own home while having dinner with her child on Tuesday evening, April 28, 2026, in Sitio Elgawel, Purok Maunlad, Barangay Saravia, Koronadal City—an incident police are now treating as a possible case of personal grudge.
Authorities identified the victim as Ledda Villajardo Aperocho, also known by the alias “Nida,” a resident of the area. She is currently confined in a private hospital in Koronadal City after sustaining gunshot wounds during the attack.
Based on initial police investigation and accounts from local officials, the incident happened around 6:30 p.m. while the victim was eating dinner with her child inside their home. Without warning, an unidentified gunman—reportedly also a resident of the same barangay and identified in some accounts as “Dio,” 53 years old—entered the house and opened fire at close range.
Barangay Kagawad Yubie Ayob of Barangay Saravia said the attack appeared sudden and deliberate, suggesting that the assailant approached the victim from the rear portion of the house before firing multiple shots. Investigators are also looking into a possible personal motive behind the shooting.
“There are indications that this may not be a random attack,” Ayob said in a local report, adding that the circumstances of the incident point to a targeted assault.
Conflicting initial reports indicate that the victim sustained gunshot wounds to either her arm or upper torso, with some accounts stating she was hit in the left arm while others reported multiple shots striking her chest. Police have yet to confirm the exact number of wounds but said she suffered at least one life-threatening gunshot injury and was rushed immediately to the hospital by responding relatives.
Her child, who was present during the shooting, was fortunately unharmed and is now under the care of relatives.
The suspect fled immediately after the attack, escaping toward a dark and grassy area in the barangay. Responding officers recovered two spent shell casings from the scene, which have been submitted for ballistic examination to determine the firearm used in the crime.
The Koronadal City Police Station has launched a hot pursuit operation and manhunt against the suspect, while investigators continue to establish the motive and verify eyewitness accounts. Authorities have not ruled out personal conflict as a driving factor but emphasized that all angles remain under investigation.
As of press time, the victim remains under observation and treatment, while police continue to tighten security operations in the area in an effort to locate and arrest the suspect.