BY DAVE SUAN ALBARADO
A municipal accountant shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on himself in their home in Barangay Sawang, Dimiao on Wednesday evening, July 9, 2025, police said.
The victims were identified as Letecia Balahay Maguyon, 56, a store owner, and her husband Dominique Pahang Maguyon, 56, who worked as a municipal accountant for the town of Dimiao.
The murder-suicide occurred around 6:45 p.m. in the living room of the couple’s home, located approximately 400 meters from the Dimiao Municipal Police Station.
Police investigators said the husband shot his wife in the head before fatally shooting himself in the same manner.
Both died instantly at the scene.
A domestic helper who witnessed the incident told police she heard the couple arguing before the sound of gunfire.
The helper said the husband had been experiencing depression.
The couple’s child was not present during the incident, having been at a neighbor’s house at the time.
FAMILY STATEMENT
The family of Dominic Mag-uyon and Leticia Balahay-Mag-uyon, the couple whose deaths have stirred public attention, has released an official statement on Friday, calling for prayers and emotional restraint from the public as they prepare for the couple’s wake.
In the statement signed by Maria Elena Mag-uyon-Paigalan, the couple’s immediate kin, the family requested friends, relatives, and the general public to refrain from speculation and instead offer prayers for the eternal repose of the couple’s souls.
The wake is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at their residence in Dimiao, Bohol.
“Daghang kaayong salamat,” the family said, expressing gratitude for the support and prayers they have received.
They called on the community to surrender their pain to God and trust in divine justice, citing Galatians 5:22-23: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”
“Dawata ang ilang kalag, O Ginoo, ug hatagi sila sa kahayag nga walay katapusan,” the statement concluded.
The family urged everyone to focus on peace, healing, and faith amid the tragedy.
DEPRESSION
The tragic incident shows critical gaps in the intersection of mental health screening and firearm regulation in the Philippines.
Under Republic Act No. 10591, also known as the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act of 2013, the Philippines maintains relatively strict firearm licensing requirements that include mental health assessments.
The law requires applicants to demonstrate “mental and psychological fitness” and mandates that any history of mental illness within the individual or family will result in application rejection.
However, the Dimiao case raises questions about ongoing monitoring of licensed firearm holders and the effectiveness of current mental health screening protocols.
Multiple studies have found that domestic violence survivors have higher-than-average rates of suicidal thoughts, with as many as 23 percent of survivors having attempted suicide compared to 3 percent among populations with no prior domestic violence exposure.
Research also shows that men with depression have an almost 3-fold increased risk of committing intimate partner violence.
The Philippines enacted its first comprehensive mental health legislation, Republic Act No. 11036 or the Mental Health Act, in 2018, providing a rights-based framework for mental health services.
However, implementation challenges persist, particularly in rural areas like Dimiao where access to mental health professionals remains limited.
The case bares the need for enhanced monitoring systems for licensed firearm holders, improved mental health services, and better integration between mental health professionals and law enforcement agencies to prevent similar tragedies.
The Dimiao police continue to investigate the specific circumstances that led to the fatal domestic dispute, including how the suspect obtained and maintained access to the firearm despite reported mental health issues.