A drunken Army major remains in critical condition after he ran amuck and engaged responding policemen in a shootout Sunday night in Pasay City.
The suspect was identified through his identification card as Major Elmer Payot, 44, assigned to the Headquarters Support Service (HHSG) of the Philippine Army, and a border at an apartment building on Progreso St., Brgy 20, Pasay.
He sustained two gunshot wounds in the chest.
Senior Supt. Lawrence Coop, Pasay police chief, said Payot was having a drinking session with another border in front of the apartment building at 11:51 p.m. when he suddenly drew his .45-caliber pistol and repeatedly fired shots into the air.
“Lasing na lasing ‘yung suspek kaya ang ginawa ng ilang residente, tumawag na ng barangay at pulis para maawat,” Coop said.
When Payot learned that elements of Buendia Police Community Precinct were coming, he returned to the apartment building, which houses three rooms, and locked himself along with four other borders, Coop said.
Chief Inspector Rolando Baula, head of Pasay police’s investigation and detective unit, said Payot threatened to shoot the borders if they insist to go out.
“Pinako niya ‘yung pintuan na daanan ng mga border, tapos sumisigaw siya na walang lalabas daw kundi puputukan niya,” Baula said.
Members of Pasay City Central Police Station and Special Reaction Unit also responded to the scene and tried to negotiate with the drunken Army officer.
Shortly after, the cops destroyed the wooden door with a battering ram but Payot fired at them. The lawmen retaliated, hitting Payot in the chest.
Payot was rushed to Adventist Medical Center and transferred to Philippine General Hospital.
When police searched Payot’s room, they recovered two heat-sealed plastic sachets with suspected shabu, two plastic sachets with traces of suspected shabu, two pieces of rolled aluminum foils and four pieces crumpled aluminum foils. (Martin A. Sadongdong)