Teen guitarist killed over jeepney fare

A jeepney driver stabbed his passenger dead after a bitter dispute over fare rates in Las Piñas City early yesterday morning.

Police identifed the victim as band guitarist John Anthony Rey, 19, single, and resident of 2201-D Blumentritt Avenue Extention in Sampaloc, Manila, who died of multiple stab wounds in the chest while undergoing treatment at the Perpetual Help Medical Center.

Police said the suspect remains at large after he escaped on board his jeepney right after the stabbing.

Investigation showed the incident occurred at around 3 a.m. while Rey and his girlfriend, Jaimie Calip, a resident of Almanza I, Las Piñas were on board a passenger jeepney cruising along Zapote-Alabang Road.

According to Calip, she and Rey, who accompanied her home, had just gotten off the jeepnety with an "Adelfa" marking in front when the driver shouted at them, telling Rey that he paid the wrong rate for their ride.

In the ensuing argument over the correct fare rate, insults were exchanged by Rey and the still unidentified driver, who was described as dark and of medium built.

Suddenly, Calip said the driver pulled out a fan knife and repeatedly stabbed her boyfriend and later ran to his jeep and sped off, while Calip, with the help of a male bystander, rushed her wounded boyfriend to the said hospital.

Calip said the plate number of the passenger jeepney bore the numbers 821 but she did not remember the letters. – Rainier Allan Ronda