Police are investigating a suspected stray bullet incident after a resident of Barangay Robles, La Castellana in Negros Occidental discovered a deformed slug inside her home on New Year’s Day.
The complainant, Marie Christine Luceño, reported the incident to the La Castellana Police Station Friday morning, January 2.
Luceño told investigators that at about 7:30 a.m. on January 1 she noticed a hole in her roof and a corresponding crack on a floor tile.
After a thorough search, the family recovered a slug of an unknown caliber about five meters from the impact site on Friday morning.
A responding police team conducted an ocular inspection of the premises and confirmed a bullet entry point on the roof and a shattered floor tile, subsequently recovering one deformed slug as evidence.
Police procedures dictate that any recovered slugs—even those that do not cause injury—must be documented and secured as physical evidence. The recovered item will undergo ballistic evaluation to determine its source, PLt. Col. Joem J. Malong, Police Regional Office – Negros Island Region information officer, said Friday.
“A criminal case may be pursued if subsequent investigation establishes the source firearm or identifies the responsible individual,” he said.
As part of the ongoing investigation, La Castellana police are conducting neighborhood inquiries and cross-referencing the discovery with reports of illegal discharge of firearms or celebratory firing in the area, . Malong said.
Authorities are urging the public to report any gunfire or suspicious activity to ensure community safety, he added.*