Another taxi driver killed

CEBU, Philippines – In just a span of two weeks, three taxi drivers have been killed during robberies around Metro Cebu.

The latest victim was identified as 54-year-old Gregorio “Gerry” Presores, who drove a Kumgang taxi and a resident of Humay Humay Lapu-Lapu City.

Presores, who was a native of barangay Rizal, Pinamungajan, was reportedly robbed and killed near the former headquarters of Mobile Patrol Division of the Cebu City Police Office at the North Reclamation Area.

This was the same area where 35-year-old Victor Aballe, a driver of Marmic taxi, was robbed and killed last March 17.

Last March 11, 50-year-old lay minister and Emerson taxi driver Carlito Singson was also killed during a robbery in sitio Colo, Pajac, Lapu-Lapu City.

Police said that Presores was shot in the head during a robbery at past 9 p.m. last Tuesday.

Witnesses said that a man got out of the taxi and fired another shot at the driver.

“Gitiwasan pa gyud sa tulisan pagtan-aw niya nga buhi pa,” said the witness.

After shooting the driver and leaving the body at 13th Avenue of the North Reclamation Area, the assailant reportedly took over the wheel and drove off towards Mandaue City.

One of the witnesses even tried to chase the taxi, but his motorcycle ran out of gas just several hundred meters from the crime scene.

The taxi of the victim was later found abandoned behind a supermarket in barangay Subangdaku, Mandaue City.

Responding policemen even stopped a north-bound bus in the town of Compostela after receiving reports that the assailant boarded a bus.

The search turned out negative.

Investigators said that the victim was shot near his right ear. There were no slugs or empty shells that were recovered.

The police are yet to determine what personal belongings of the driver were taken.

Chief Insp. George Ylanan, head of the Investigation and Detective Management Branch of the Cebu City Police Office, and SPO2 Jay Yballe of the Homicide Section did a follow up operation in sitio Aroma, Subangdaku, the area where the unit was abandoned.

“Dunay information nga dinhi sa sitio Aroma pero negative gihapon,” Yballe said.

Witnesses described the perpetrator to be about 5’2” or 5’3” tall, of medium build and wearing a dark-colored jacket and a white T-shirt and a cap during the incident.

Yballe said that since the perpetrator fired another shot at the victim, which resulted to the latter’s death they are now looking at another angle aside from robbery.

police action

The recent cases involving taxi drivers are now being looked into by police authorities, who are looking at measures to prevent such crimes.

During the Talakayan ng mga Pulis, Lapu-Lapu Police Chief, Sr. Supt. Mariano Natu-el said that there is a memorandum circular for PUJs that requires them to put blue emergency lights, which would help them ask for help in times of distress. However, this is not made mandatory for taxis.

Natu-el hopes that an ordinance would be passed to require taxis to also have such light.

Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Assistant Regional Director Atty. Douglas Sanson said that the blue emergency light for taxis is not a requirement, but said that they could ask for it from Manila.

“I think it is a good idea and as long as it is for the interest of the people, why not?”Sanson said that when incidents like these happened before, operators furnished their units with radios so that taxi drivers could make contact when they are in trouble.

Sr. Supt. Louie Oppus, chief of the operations and plans division of PRO-7 said that they are securing and doubling the efforts especially at the check points.

Also, they are empowering all their units and encouraging all the Local Government Units to work harder to fight against crime. — Ramil V. Ayuman, Niña G. Sumacot and AJ A. de la Torre/NLQ  (THE FREEMAN)