Habal-habal driver loses arm in hacking attack

MATALOM, LEYTE, Philippines — A habal-habal driver, while waiting for his passenger outside a sari-sari store in Brgy. President Garcia of this town, was suddenly approached and hacked repeatedly with a bolo by a resident.

The wounded victim, identified as Manuel Gono, was rushed to the hospital where doctors had to amputate his right arm that was almost decapitated. His passenger, Magdalena Ocaris who was also hit by the hacking attack, was also taken to another hospital.

The suspected assailant, Isabelo Ganoza, was arrested by tanods and is now in police custody for frustrated murder charge bearing a bail of P200,000.

Assistant Prosecutor Renato Padayao, in his resolution, stated that Ganoza started hacking Gono upon arrival in the barangay and even before the latter could alight from the motorcycle. Ganoza allegedly continued hacking Gono who already fell to the ground.

The attack was only stopped when the tanods responded, wrested the long bolo from Ganoza and arrested him.

The victim’s passenger, Ocaris who owned a sari-sari store in the area, hired Gono to carry various goods she bought from the town proper that day.

Gono and Ocaris had just arrived at the store when Ganoza suddenly appeared and, without any word, hacked the driver several times, hitting Ocaris who was still in the back seat. — (FREEMAN)