A policeman may soon get a spot promotion after having been wounded while off-duty when he saved a tricycle driver from death and arrested a robber during a hold-up incident in Quezon City over the weekend.

Supt. Marcelino Pedrozo, chief of the District Police Intelligence Operations Unit of the Quezon City Police District (QCPD-DPIOU), said Sunday that he has recommended for commendation and spot promotion one of his men, PO2 Macfel Japay.

Pedrozo said Japay showed dedication to being a police officer even though he was already off-duty when he responded to a robbery incident that took place at 2:30 a.m. Saturday along V. Luna Road near the corner of Matapat St., Barangay Pinyahan.

Pedrozo said that Japay got wounded while saving tricycle driver Allyn Samugay, 28, adding that although wounded, Japay managed to subdue and arrest the suspect identified as Larry Redondo, 31.

Japay sustained a stab wound on the neck from an ice pick while Samugay suffered two stab wounds in the body from the same weapon. Both men were rushed to the East Avenue Medical Center for treatment.

Samugay said he was aboard his tricycle along V. Luna when he was approached by the suspect who, brandishing an ice pick, declared a hold-up. After getting P370 from the tricycle driver, Samugay tried to grapple the suspect and then shouted “hold-upper! hold-upper!”

Japay, who was in his car on his way home, saw the commotion and alighted from his vehicle.

Redondo managed to grab back his ice pick and stab twice Samugay. However, Redondo was stopped inflicting more stab wounds to Samugay when Japay grabbed hold of the suspect’s shirt and pulled him away from the tricycle driver.

Redondo redirected his ire at Japay whom he stabbed in the neck. Although injured, Japay managed to subdue and arrest the suspect. Redondo is being charged before the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office for robbery and direct assault.