Hospital security guard shot dead by patient

A security guard at Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center in Manila was shot dead by one of the patients on Monday evening, according to the report of Jhomer Apresto on Super Radyo dzBB.

The victim was identified as Arturo Budlong Jr. who died of gunshot wound to the chest, according to a report of Jonathan Andal on GMA News' Unang Balita.

Police said the patient was a barangay official in Sampaloc, Manila who suffers from a mental health problem.

Barangay 428 Chairman Teddy Isla said the suspect tried to take his own life last Saturday but was brought to the hospital for treatment. He was discharged but again tried to harm himself and was brought to the hospital again.

Isla said the suspect is a good person and has no known enemies. He was supposed to be brought to the mental hospital after discharge at JRRMMC.

Manila Police District Station Commander 3 Lieutenant Colonel John Guiagui said that at JRRMMC, the suspect was directed to stay inside his room but he insisted on going out. It was 37-year-old Budlong, the security guard on duty, who kept on reminding him to remain in his room.

When the guard turned his back, the suspect grabbed his service firearm and shot him.

Upon hearing the gun shot, hospital staff called the police.

The suspect was isolated inside the morgue but he did not surrender. Instead he engaged the police and security guards in a shootout.

As a result, the suspect suffered gunshot wounds on his thigh and stomach and is currently under treatment.

No one else was hurt, Guiagui said.

Police said the suspect will face murder charges. —BAP/KG, GMA News