Martial arts skills fail to save cabbie

The martial arts skills of a taxi driver was not enough to save him from being held up and killed inside his vehicle the other day at the boundary of Taguig and Makati City.

Vincent Pavia, a resident of Bago Bantay, Quezon City, died on the spot after sustaining 12 stab wounds.

According to SPO4 Leonardo Timtiman, officer-in-charge of the Makati police homicide division, the incident took place at around 2 a.m. last Sunday in front of the C-5 Mini Park in Fort Bonifacio.

Timtiman said one of the park’s security guard was about to urinate when he heard a screeching noise and a loud crash outside the mini park.

When he checked to investigate, the guard saw a white Rodasa Taxi (TVM-214) on its backside with its wheels still spinning.

A man wearing a white T-shirt emerged from the wreckage and ran to the middle of the road. He then stepped in front of an approaching delivery van and boarded the vehicle, which later sped away.

While checking on the wreckage, the guard saw the bloodied body of Pavia.

Police said the victim, who was later found out to be an expert in martial arts, tried to fight back, forcing the suspect to stab him repeatedly. The attack caused the driver to lose control of vehicle.

The case has been turned over to the Taguig Police after the Makati police investigators found out that the area was under the jurisdiction of the municipality.

In Makati City, a 22-year-old student hanged himself after breaking up with his girlfriend yesterday.

The victim was identified as Erol Ryan Craig, a resident of Pagulayan Street, Barangay Poblacion, Makati City.

Investigators said the victim was discovered by his mother inside his room at 6:30 a.m.

The motor belt of an electric fan was tied around the neck of the victim. The other end was tied a ceiling structure.

Craig was rushed to the Makati Medical Center but was declared dead on arrival. He was last seen alive by his mother at midnight following a misunderstanding with his long-time girlfriend. – Marvin Sy