Irate customer shoots at posh Makati bar, employee killed

An unidentified man, believed to be a regular customer of an upscale bar and restaurant in Makati City, fired his gun at the establishment early yesterday morning, killing in the process an employee who was about to go home after a day’s work.

Arquiles Dait, 36, became the unfortunate victim possibly of a disgruntled customer of the Wasabi Bar and Restaurant, said Senior Police Officer 4 Leonardo Timtiman, officer-in-charge of the Makati police Homicide Section. Dait, of Guadalupe Bliss, Makati City, and a steward at the establishment, sustained a gunshot wound in the chest. He died while undergoing treatment at the Makati Medical Center, police records showed.

Timtiman said the victim was on his way home and was standing behind the restaurant’s glass door when the gunman opened fire.

In his report, case investigator SPO1 Allan Esquillo said the incident happened at around 5:15 a.m. at the bar located at the corner of Sto. Tomas Street and Makati Avenue.

The gunman was reportedly on board a blue Pajero without license plates and was accompanied by another man when he fired successive shots at the restaurant’s entrance, shattering its glass panels and sliding door.

The vehicle sped toward Ayala Avenue after the incident.

Quoting employees, Timtiman said a male customer was recently denied entry into the bar for not following the dress code.

"According to the employees, he was not allowed inside because he refused to take off his cap," Timtiman said in Filipino. He added that this was the incident relayed to the police that could have most likely triggered yesterday’s shooting incident.

Timtiman said witnesses could not describe the gunman because the latter fired from inside the vehicle.

Timtiman said the gunman used a caliber .45 pistol. Police are conducting a follow-up investigation into the incident.