Man kills wife, grandson, self inside Nat’l Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong

MANILA, Philippines – A man shot dead his wife, grandson, and then himself inside the well-secured National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) in Mandaluyong City on Thursday afternoon, May 9.

Colonel Moises Villaceran Jr, Mandaluyong police chief, said that the 88-year-old man was able to enter the facility with a caliber .45 pistol concealed in a brown envelope.

Based on their probe, he said the grandfather frequently visited his 27-year-old grandson, which was why the guards at NCMH were already familiar with him and trusted him.

The grandfather, who was accompanied by his 78-year-old wife, arrived at the facility at 2:30 pm on Thursday.

About 30 minutes into the visit, the elderly man pulled out his gun and shot his grandson first, and then his wife. Villaceran said the man shot himself in the head shortly after. It was learned that they were arguing when the incident happened.

“The wife was brought to the infirmary of the NCMH, but she died after an hour,” the police chief said.

The names of the 3 people had been withheld because of the sensitive nature of case. 

The Department of Health (DOH), which supervises the NCMH, said in a statement on Thursday that the Philippine National Police was investigating the incident in cooperation with the NCMH. 

“We are saddened by the tragic event that unfolded at the National Center for Mental Health (NCMH) and we offer our condolences to the family of the victims,” the DOH said.

“The NCMH is committed to ensuring the safety of its patients and staff and is taking measures to tighten security at the hospital. We can confirm that no other patients and NCMH staff were hurt nor involved in the incident. The hospital is in full operation and functioning normally,” it added. – Rappler.com