Cabbie shoots barker over P5

MANILA, Philippines — Two people were wounded when a taxi driver shot a barker who demanded P5 in exchange for a passenger in Quezon City on Monday.

Police launched a manhunt for the driver of an Evirocab taxi with license plate number NFC 1658 responsible for the incident in Barangay Milagrosa at around 5:55 p.m., according to a police report.

The shooting took place along J.P. Rizal street when the victim, Apolo Vega, 58, asked for P5 from the suspect as payment after a passenger boarded the latter’s taxi.

“Sabi nung taxi driver, ‘Huwag ka makulit, babarilin kita (The taxi driver said,s ‘Don’t be a pest, I’ll shoot you’),” Project 4 police station commander Lt. Col. Leoben Ong said in an interview over GMA News’ “Balita.”

A video of the incident showed the passenger disembarking from the taxi while the suspect and victim were arguing.

Irked, Vega took a dustpan from the sidewalk. He was about to hit the taxi when the driver shot him twice.

Vega suffered a gunshot wound in his shoulder and collapsed to the pavement. A 13-year-old girl was hit by a stray bullet on her left hand.

Witnesses told investigators the suspect sped off towards C-5 Road in Marikina City.

Probers recovered a bullet casing from a 9mm handgun at the scene.