Dispatcher stabbed onboard bus

CEBU, Philippines - A bus terminal dispatcher was stabbed by a co-dispatcher over a personal grudge shortly before noon yesterday inside a bus which stopped for red light at the corner of Tres de Abril Street and V. Rama Avenue in barangay San Nicolas, this city.

Joey Empase, 25, a dispatcher at the South Bus Terminal and a resident of Matab-ang in Toledo City, landed at the hospital while Palahid Calumpiano, 23, of sitio Mangga, barangay Mambaling is now detained after the incident.

Investigation showed that Calumpiano boarded GV Bus Liner, bound for the southern part of Cebu, stayed at the back seat to supposedly drop himself off in sitio Mangga when Empase also boarded the bus, then approached him and whipped his nape with a belt.

This allegedly prompted Calumpiano to push Empase to the bus floor. A scuffle followed with other bus passengers witnessing the incident.

Empase took a five-inch-long pair of scissors from his pants and began stabbing Calumpiano but the latter grappled for the weapon, grabbed it and stabbed Empase with it, hitting him in the left torso.

When the bus stopped at the said place for the red traffic signal, Calumpiano tried to escape but City Traffic Operations Management officer Jimmy Ang arrested him and turned him over to the Taboan Police Station where he is now detained while Empase was taken to the Cebu City Medical Center.

PO3 Geoffrey Gutual of the Cebu City Police Office-Homicide Section said that the filing of charges will follow as soon as Empase recuperates from the stab wound he sustained. — Niña G. Sumacot/MEEV (THE FREEMAN)