Waiter shot inside PUJ; driver steals taxi unit

CEBU, Philippines - He saved himself from being possibly robbed, but not from the bullet fired by his assailants.

A waiter landed in the hospital after he was shot and injured by three unidentified armed men along M. J. Cuenco Avenue, Barangay Lorega San Miguel, Cebu City Monday night.

Randolf Bentolan, 27, was on his way home in Barangay Mabolo riding a public utility jeepney when the three men boarded the vehicle.

Since Bentolan suspected the three of being robbers, the victim told the conductor to let them get off the jeepney.

However, the three got irked. One of them pulled out a gun and shot him in his back before they fled.

SPO3 Rey Dosdos, who resides nearby, rushed Bentolan to the Don Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center where the victim is now recuperating.

Meanwhile, a taxi driver who was reportedly high on drugs was arrested after he allegedly stole one of the taxi units of ZWTC Taxi Corp. yesterday morning.

Joel Utlang, 40, allegedly stole a taxi unit bearing Plate No. GXF 686, according to Christine Castañeda, secretary of the company.

Castañeda and the company's security guard reported the incident to the police.

Utlang, of Lawaan 1, Talisay City, has been working with that company before but was asked to stop days ago allegedly because of his attitude problem.

The security guard claimed that Utlang yesterday went inside the company and asked the driver who supposed to rent the unit to step away because he will get something inside. But he suddenly closed the door and drove the vehicle away.

The guard also said he was almost hit by the taxi.

According to William Lambert, owner of ZWTC Taxi, Utlang used to make trouble with his co-drivers, and would usually not pay the exact daily rental of P550.

This prompted Lambert to ask Utlang to stop driving a unit from them.

CITOM personnel found Utlang and the unit near Sto. Niño Church hours after the incident was reported.

Utlang is now detained at the Pardo Police Station. —LPM (THE FREEMAN)