PASAY City Police’s intelligence chief and the self-confessed killer of a model Grab driver died in a shootout Sunday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced Monday.
Director General Oscar Albayalde, PNP chief, mourned the death of Senior Inspector Manuel Taytayon, 28, chief of the intelligence section of Pasay City Police Station.
Albayalde said Taytayon was killed on Sunday in Pasay City after trading gunshots with Marc “Nico” Delemios, the prime suspect in the killing of “good Samaritan” Grab driver Gerardo Maquidato Jr.
A report reaching Camp Crame in Quezon City said Taytayon led a team to arrest Delemios after they received a tip that he was spotted at his house at Don Carlos Revilla Village, Barangay 148, Zone 16, Pasay City around 2:20 p.m.
However, the operation went awry when Delemios fired shots at the lawmen, triggering a shootout.
Taytayon was hit in the body but police said he managed to fire once more before falling on the ground. Taytayon’s last fired bullet hit Delemios’ head, killing him on the spot.
Taytayon was rushed to San Juan de Dios Hospital where he was declared dead on arrival.
Delemios surrendered to Pasay police in November 2017 after he admitted to killing Maquidato Jr. on October 26, 2017.
Days after his surrender, however, Delemios managed to escape from jail.
It can be recalled that Maquidato went viral in social media after he gave a free ride to Prima Ornum, a sick passenger who was on her way to the hospital for dialysis, two years ago.
For his good deed, Maquidato was hailed by the management of Grab as one of its “best” drivers in October 2016. A year later, Maquidato was shot and killed by Delemios in an apparent case of carjacking.
Albayalde offered his condolences to the bereaved family of Senior Insp. Taytayon and assured them of assistance for his service to the country.
“The PNP assures the orphaned family of Sr. Insp. Taytayon of every possible assistance within our means if only to alleviate their suffering,” Albayalde said.
“The PNP will never run out of good heroes because many more good men in the police service will not hesitate to go the way of Sr. Insp. Manuel Taytayon. The officer corps and rank-and-file join me in prayer for the eternal repose of his soul. May he rest in peace,” he added. (Martin A. Sadongdong)
