BUTUAN CITY — A heated argument over differing beliefs about the Bible escalated into a shooting early Wednesday morning, September 2, leaving a man wounded after he allegedly pulled out a handgun during a drinking session in Barangay Kinamlutan, Butuan City.
The shooting occurred at around 2:40 a.m. in Purok 1, where the victim, identified only as alias “Dondon,” an adult and resident of the area, was shot by his drinking companion, alias “Narciso,” also an adult and resident of Barangay Kinamlutan.
According to the initial investigation of the Butuan City Police Office Station 3 (BCPOS 3), the two men were drinking alcoholic beverages when they began arguing over matters concerning the Bible and their respective beliefs.
The argument reportedly intensified while both men were under the influence of alcohol.
Police said the confrontation escalated when Dondon allegedly pulled out a pistol and appeared ready to shoot Narciso. The suspect, however, reportedly managed to wrest the firearm away from the victim before firing at him.
Dondon sustained gunshot wounds and was immediately brought to a hospital for medical treatment. His current condition was not immediately disclosed.
Following the incident, Narciso voluntarily surrendered to police authorities and turned over the firearm allegedly taken from the victim.
Police said the surrendered weapon was a .22-caliber revolver loaded with four rounds of ammunition.
The suspect reportedly told investigators that he acted in self-defense, claiming that Dondon had pointed or drawn the firearm at him first, prompting him to disarm the victim and fire the weapon.
Authorities have yet to make a final determination on the circumstances surrounding the shooting, and the suspect’s claim of self-defense remains subject to investigation and legal proceedings.
Narciso is currently under police custody as authorities prepare the appropriate charges against him.
Investigators are continuing to gather evidence and establish the sequence of events leading to the shooting, including the circumstances surrounding the alleged drawing and subsequent seizure of the firearm.
The incident serves as another reminder of how disputes that begin during drinking sessions can quickly turn violent, particularly when firearms are involved. In this case, an argument over religious beliefs reportedly ended with one man hospitalized and another facing possible criminal charges.