PSG man found dead in Malacañang

MANILA, Philippines — A member of the Presidential Security Group was found dead in the PSG barracks at Malacañang yesterday morning.

Maj. Harim Gonzaga, 37, PSG chief operation officer, was found with a gunshot wound in the chest by his wife, Sheila, who is also with the PSG, at around 8:50 a.m., said Senior Police Officer 3 Jonathan Bautista, homicide investigator.

The couple’s children were in school when Sheila found her husband’s body.

Only one shot was fired from Gonzaga’s personal gun, a Norinco .45 caliber pistol found near his body.

“There was no sign of foul play. Based on initial findings, the room was not in disarray and there was tattooing on the victim’s chest, which means that the shot was close range,” he said.

Some insiders say that with military personnel, shooting oneself in the chest – just like the late general Angelo Reyes – indicates that they sacrificed themselves.

Reyes was being accused of corruption when he shot himself in front of his parents’ graves in 2011.

Gonzaga’s wife said they had no problems and there was no reason for him to kill himself, according to Bautista.

Bautista said the victim was working on some documents before he was found dead.

PSG commander Brig. Gen. Lope Dagoy said while Gonzaga was not under his direct supervision, the officer was “diligent, conscious of his work.”

Gonzaga, who was promoted last Oct. 3, 2016, was involved in the deployment and movement of PSG troops.

“The wife was hysterical when I saw her. I was trying to settle her down,” he said. Sheila is part of the presidential escort team, tasked with President Duterte’s close-in security.

Sheila said her husband complained of his heavy workload as head of the operations unit under the PSG, according to Dagoy.

“But it’s just normal for us because you are with the PSG. I don’t think it’s a reason for him to take his life just because of work. We really do not know,” Dagoy said.

He left it up to the police Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) personnel to provide details on the possible cause of death.

“The PSG does not want to speculate on the cause of his death and will wait for the official findings of the SOCO as the command pays highest respect to the privacy of his immediate family,” Dagoy said.

Gonzaga was a member of the Philippine Army’s Special Forces prior to his assignment with the PSG. Gonzaga reported directly to Col. Cris Mortela.

Dagoy said even if the incident could be traced to a psychological problem, “I don’t think we have to be subjected to psychological tests just to prove that we are able and capable. The soldiers already passed through that process.”

The body was brought to Archangel Funeral Homes, which will prepare Gonzaga’s remains for the wake.

The President was at his residence at the time of the incident but Dagoy was quick to point out that the “crime scene” was far from the presidential house.

“We really cannot speculate. We cannot say its suicide when we do not have all the data to conclude, it can also be an accident but we leave it up to SOCO,” he said, adding that Gonzaga’s firearm was turned over to the SOCO.