Grief has overtaken the joy that the New Year brings to the family of Vice Mayor Aimee Paz Lamasan of Dueñas, Iloilo.

The official expired at the hospital while receiving treatment after a reported incident of accidental firing.

Her gun reportedly went off accidentally and wounded her on the belly, authorities said.

The incident happened in their residence in La Paz, Iloilo City morning on December 30, 2025.

According to her aunt, who is a former vice mayor of the said town, the incident has not sunk in yet.

“Ang iba tumatawag sa amin na umiiyak sa telepono na wala na at bakit si Vice Mayor Aimee talaga. Masakit sa aming pamilya dahil ngayon New Year pa, tahimik muna kami, parang silent lang ang family namin ngayon,” Merloi Lamasan Piccio, the aunt, said.

At past 7 a.m. on December 30, while Lamasan was preparing her things, she was about to put away her 9mm pistol. However, the gun purportedly set off and hit her.

Earlier, it was reported that she was already in stable condition and recuperating at a medical facility. However, on December 31, her family confirmed her death.

Based on police investigation, her live-in partner Lord Byron Torrecarion, who had earlier given a statement to the police, is her lone companion when the incident happened.

The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) remains open to other possible angles, aside from accidental firing.

“As of now, accidental firing ang isa sa mga pangunahing tinututukan ng pulisya. But as we are saying na nagpapatuloy pa ang follow-up natin, so in case na merong mga ebidensya na mag-surface na otherwise mag-consider tayo ng ibang anggulo, patuloy pa naman ito dahil patuloy pa ang pag-iimbestiga natin,” said Major Shella Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson.

The La Paz Philippine National Police (PNP) is awaiting the result of a ballistic examination on the 9mm pistol.

Authorities are also awaiting confirmation from the Regional Civil Security Unit if the said weapon is indeed owned by the vice mayor.

Lamasan’s live-in partner is set to undergo paraffin test, police said.

“Yung partner po ni Vice ngayon napadalhan natin ng request for paraffin test. Yan ang isa sa mga gagawin natin ngayon,” said Captain Jeffrey Delgado, chief of Iloilo City Police Station 2.

In a statement issued by Dueñas Mayor Robert Martin Pama, he expressed his grief and condoled with Lamasan’s family.

Pama cited he treats Lamasan as his own sister.

GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas sought a statement from Torrecarion. As of this writing, he has not answered the message yet sent to his social media account.

Torrecarion works currently at the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Central Office. He is the former regional director of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in Eastern Visayas.

Lamasan’s family has no official statement yet on the incident.

Police said that the family requested privacy during their time of bereavement.