Parañaque shooter’s warrant served in 2024 but guard said he's not home —SPD

The 2023 arrest warrant against the gunman in the recent shooting in Parañaque City had been served in 2024 but was returned to the court after authorities were told the suspect was no longer staying at his recorded address, the police said on Thursday.

According to the Southern Police District public information office (SPD PIO), the warrant issued by Taguig City Regional Trial Court Branch 153 was served by the warrant and subpoena section of the Parañaque City Police Station in March 2024.

However, the attempt to serve the warrant was unsuccessful.

“As per warrant and subpoena section po ng Parañaque City Police Station ay nag-serve po sila ng warrant laban sa suspect noong March 2024,” the SPD PIO told GMA News Online in a message.

(As per warrant and subpoena section of the Parañaque City Police Station, they served a warrant against the suspect in March 2024.)

“Pero sabi daw po ng guard doon ay hindi na daw po nauwi doon si Mr. De Guzman kaya nag-return warrant po sila sa RTC Branch 153 ng Taguig City,” it added.

(But the guard there said that Mr. De Guzman had not returned home, so they returned the warrant to the RTC Branch 153 of Taguig City.)

However, the management of Azure Urban Resort Residences in an earlier statement said it has no record of receiving any request for assistance to implement a warrant of arrest from 2023 to 2024.

“We wish to address circulating claims that a unit owner with a pending Warrant of Arrest (WOA) was allowed to continue residing in the property. The PMO's strict policy is to fully cooperate with law enforcement whenever a WOA is served to any resident or tenant. We have documented compliance of assisting authorities with WOAs,” the condominium management said in a statement posted on its Facebook account.

“We confirm that our office has no record of receiving any request for assistance in the service of WOA between 2023 and 2024. We remain steadfast in our commitment to due process,” it added.

The clarifications came after questions were raised about why the arrest warrant against the suspect was not implemented earlier before the recent shooting incident.

Also, the SPD said the Parañaque police discovered only after the shooting that the suspect was a licensed firearm holder.

Authorities have recommended the revocation of the suspect’s license to the Firearms and Explosives Office (FEO).

Police said they are still coordinating with the FEO regarding the process for cases where a licensed gun owner has a criminal conviction.

In the evening of March 4, the 59-year-old gunman, later identified by the police as "William," used a 9mm pistol and opened fire while the victims were playing basketball.

Two people were killed while four others were hurt in the incident.

Initial investigation revealed the suspect is a resident of the condominium. It was also found that the gunman already had a past argument with one of the fatalities and the wounded victims. 

“Around the last week of December and the last week of February, the suspect allegedly knocked on the unit of one of the victims. Our victim reported the incident to security,” said Parañaque City Police chief Police Colonel Nicolas Piñon, adding the suspect was probably looking for someone. 

The gunman is convicted of homicide in a 2023 case and has an outstanding warrant, the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) earlier said.

On March 6, the suspect was finally arrested in another condominium in the city.

The gunman said he had long been annoyed by the noise and alleged provocation of some of the victims during his stay at Azure.

“Nag-iingay ho, tapos nag-iinuman sila roon eh. Nagtatawanan tapos kung anu-ano ang sinasabi,” the suspect said.

(They were making noise and drinking there. They were laughing and saying various things.) —AOL, GMA Integrated News