A fart is often seen as just a butt of jokes or for what it really is—a normal bodily function. But for a gasoline station pump boy in Guindulman, his flatulence nearly cost him his life.

Marvin Balauro, 18, landed in the hospital after he was shot with a shotgun by a security guard for freely passing gas while they were at a Seaoil station in Barangay Canhaway, Guindulman at past 3 p.m. on Wednesday.

“Kaning biktima naglingkod ni nag-atbang siya sa suspek unya nangotot kono ni mao tong nasuko ang suspek unya iyang gi cock ang iyang shotgun ug gipusil diritso ang biktima,” said Staff Sgt. Aldrin Asilo of the Guindulman Police Station.

Balauro who was hit in his right shoulder was already in stable condition and recuperating at the Governor Celestino Gallares Memorial Hospital in Tagbilaran City while the suspect, Jonathan Perocho, 29, was arrested by police.

Asilo said that Perocho fled the crime scene but police were able to catch up with him. Perocho was still carrying his shotgun but immediately threw away the weapon as he saw an approaching police patrol car.

According to Asilo, Balauro who was off duty at the time was incessantly teasing Perocho and making jokes which annoyed the security guard.

Balauro’s flatulence was apparently the last straw for Perocho who then used his service shotgun to shoot the victim.

Asilo said that they later found out that Perocho was not a licensed security guard.

A representative from the Tagbilaran City-based Arwana Security Agency, Perocho’s agency, admitted that both the security guard and the firearm were unlicensed.

Perocho is set to be charged with frustrated homicide on Thursday. (A. Doydora)