Driver survives 3rd taxi rob in 2 weeks

CEBU, Philippines - Robbers once again victimized a taxi driver shortly past midnight yesterday, the third incident of taxi robbery in Cebu for the past two weeks.

But unlike the two previous victims who met their untimely death, Randy Saballa, 33, was fortunate to only sustain a stab wound, albeit losing his unit to the suspects.

Saballa is employed with Softride taxi and drove the unit with plate number GXD 500. 

Saballa told the police three men and a woman boarded his taxi a little past midnight yesterday and asked him to bring them to Tagunol, Basak- San Nicolas.The woman reportedly disembarked in Kinasang-an, Pardo but the three men remained on board.

Moments later, the two men at the passenger’s seat reportedly poked Saballa on the head with guns and declared a hold-up.

Saballa said he then handed his earnings worth P1,960 but just as he was doing so, the man seating at the passenger’s seat beside him stabbed him on the side below his armpit, probably sensing that Saballa was hesitant to let go of the money.

Despite the guns pointed at him, Saballa said he braved his way out of his taxi and shouted for help. Bystanders who saw him bleeding rushed him to the Cebu City Medical Center, as the suspects drove away with his vehicle.

Police are now conducting a follow-up operation to determine the identity of the suspects and to recover the taxi unit.Fuente Police Station chief Arnel Banzon, also the head of the Special Weapons and Tactics of the Cebu City Police, advised taxi drivers to just hand over their earnings in cases of robbery to save their lives.

If possible, Banzon said the victims should try to familiarize the faces of the suspects.

Last Tuesday, a taxi driver of Marmic taxi was robbed and killed at the North Reclamation Area.

The incident happened less than a week after a 50-year-old driver of Emerson’s taxi suffered the same fate in Lapu-Lapu City. Both drivers were shot and their earnings taken.

Two men, whose features fit those of the alleged suspects in last Tuesday’s incident, were placed under arrest the other day. — Niña Chrismae G. Sumacot/JMO   (THE FREEMAN)