Parañaque condominium shooting: What we know so far

A peaceful night turned out to be a nightmare for some residents of a high-rise condominium in Parañaque City at around 7:59 pm on Wednesday, March 4.

This, after a 59-year-old resident, whom the Southern Police District (SPD) did not name in its report, rained gunshots at the victims inside the condominium’s basketball court in Barangay Marcelo Green.

Several social media posts identified the residential building as Azure Urban Resort Residences, an upscale condominium project of the Century Properties Group Inc. founded by Jose Eduardo “Joey” Antonio. Century Properties is now run by his son Jose Marco.

Azure Urban Resort Residences is known for its man-made beach resort amenities and its beach club designed by American socialite and hotel heiress Paris Hilton. Some unit owners who lease their spaces promote the condominium as “The Paris Hilton Beach Club.” (READ: From Paris Hilton to Donald Trump, Century Properties’ celebrity ties)

Rappler has already asked why authorities did not name the suspect. We will update this story once they respond.

In another police report seen by Rappler, the victims and witnesses were playing basketball when they heard a loud noise.

Moments later, the unnamed suspect entered through the basketball court’s main gate and “without apparent reason, indiscriminately fired his firearm toward the group of individuals inside the basketball court causing panic and injuries.”

The unnamed suspect was still at-large, as of writing.

The victims

Two died in the shooting incident, and four others got hurt. The police, without specifying, said one of them was declared dead on arrival at around 8:44 pm, while the other was pronounced dead at around 11:12 pm. 

One of the deceased was identified as a 57-year-old male, single, and a resident of the condominium.

Also killed was 29-year-old Arjay Gonzales, who was identified by his loved ones. Gonzales was an alumnus of the University of the Philippines Los Baños’ (UPLB) Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics.

“The UPLB Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics stands with the public in condemning gun violence and calling for justice. The Department offers our sincerest sympathies to the family of Arjay Gonzales,” the department said.

The victim, according to his Facebook page, was also part of the UP Junior Executives Society. He earned his degree from UP in 2020, at the height of the pandemic. 

Gonzales was also a model. 

“I remember you as someone na mahilig magpa-picture. Sayang kasi hindi na naulit (because) may kanya-kanya na tayong buhay after tumakas sa nakakapagod na college life. Pero sa tuwing mag-uusap (tayo), lagi kang nag-aaya na mag-photoshoot,” Gonzales’ friend, who requested anonymity, wrote. “I hope justice will be served. Hindi mo deserve ang nangyari.”

(I remember you as someone who loved getting photographed. Too bad we failed to do it again because we had separate lives after college. But every time we talked, you always asked me to do a photoshoot with you. I hope justice will be served. You did not deserve what happened to you.)

Meanwhile, the four injured victims are all male and of legal age. They are also residents of Barangay Marcelo Green. 

All of them are now in stable condition.

What should happen next?

“We are looking into it,” Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Juanito Victor “Jonvic” Remulla told Rappler when asked about the shooting incident. 

The SPD said it has already conducted follow-up operations and tracking after the incident. The southern police are also in coordination with other police units to locate the suspect. 

Remulla confirmed that the suspect has a pending warrant of arrest from Taguig City Regional Trial Court over a homicide case in 2023. The DILG chief said that there’s already a manhunt operation against the suspect.

“Apparently, he has mental health issues,” Remulla told Rappler. 

But even in a theoretical situation that this warrant does not exist, the police have all the legal bases to immediately arrest him. Parañaque City Police Station Police Colonel Nicolas Piñon said in a GMA News interview that they launched a hot pursuit operation against the suspect.

Under the Rules of Court, a person may be arrested without a warrant if he/she is caught in the act, if there’s a probable cause to believe that a crime was committed, or if the person is a fugitive. 

Hot pursuit is done under the second category, or when there is probable cause. – Rappler.com