Billboard spotlight falls on taxi

MANILA, Philippines – A cabbie was slightly injured when a spotlight mounted on a billboard at the corner of Timog Avenue and EDSA fell on his taxi amid continuous rains and strong winds yesterday morning.

The spotlight shattered the Nissan Sentra (PWJ-430) taxicab’s front windshield and damaged its dashboard, according to cabbie Ramir Esplana.

Superintendent Jesus Balingasa Jr., commander of the Quezon City Police District-Station 10, said Esplana was driving at around 6:30 a.m. when the spotlight fell on his vehicle.

Balingasa said the spotlight was mounted on a billboard carrying an advertisement of Holcim cement in front of the BGV building.

He said they referred Esplana to the Department of Public Works and Highways to trace and contact the provider of the advertisement for the cement company.

“After that, the cabbie, no longer came back to press charges. We can only assume that he has reached a settlement with the company behind the billboard,” Balingasa said.

The taxi operator confirmed that the billboard advertising company promised to pay the damages sustained by the vehicle. – Reinir Padua