Wanted man dies in Lapu shootout

One of Lapu-Lapu City’s most wanted persons was chased and gunned down  by policemen yesterday in a shootout in barangay Mactan.

Alex Oyao suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was declared dead at the  Lapu-Lapu City Hospital.

Policemen said they  rushed to a cockfight in sitio Ka Konsor after receiving a tip that  the drug suspect was seen there.

Around 5 p.m., officers spotted Oyao and approached him but he fled after noticing their presence.

Oyao fired at the chasing police until he was cornered at the house of Oscar Eyas.

Chief Insp. Conrado Manatad of  the Mactan police station  said he called on  Oyao to surrender but the suspect answered that he won’t let them catch him alive. A warrant of arrest was issued against Oyao by Lapu-Lapu City Executive Judge Toribio Quiwag for violation of the Republic Act 9165.

Police said Oyao briefly held hostage  Eyas’ wife but let her go when he again started firing at the policemen.  Oyao was shot  during the exchange of gunfire. Police said they recovered a .45-caliber pistol with three live ammunition. He had been eluding authorities  for more than a year after being wanted on  illegal drug charges.

He was tagged a suspect in last month’s   shooting and wounding of  Jason Pejana in Mactan.

Police said Oyao   was involved in several  drug-related shootings in  Lapu-Lapu City but that no one came forward to complain.

In February,  Chief Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes of the Mandaue City police and his men pursued Oyao in barangay Casuntingan but he evaded arrest. /CORRESPONDENT NORMAN V. MENDOZA