Man charged for driver’s death

TRISIKAD driver Diosdado Escoltor Jr. asked for additional fare from a passenger who paid him only P9.

But instead of paying, passenger Allan Saldua, 20, got angry.

He later approached Escoltor, 31, from behind on Lakandula St. in Barangay San Nicolas, Cebu City last July 8 and stabbed him in the back. The victim died.

Because of the incident, Saldua, a jobless man, will face trial after the Cebu City Prosecutor’s Office charged him in court.

Associate Prosecution Attorney Jennifer Karen Alo-Leyson found evidence to file a
murder case against Saldua.

Leyson did not recommend bail for Saldua’s temporary release.

Witness Ronan Abayan, also a trisikad driver, said in his affidavit that he saw Saldua board Escoltor’s trisikad. They proceeded to a bakeshop near the Cebu City Medical Center, where the passenger was supposed to buy bread.

Moments later, Saldua and Escoltor came back.

The accused gave P9 to the victim, but the latter complained.

Irked, Saldua tried to throw coins at Escoltor, who in turn attempted to hurl stones at his passenger.

Saldua’s brother-in-law intervened and pacified the two. Saldua then left.

Minutes later, a woman, who had just disembarked from a bus, hired Abayan to transport her sacks of avocados to the Carbon Public Market.

Escoltor then asked Abayan to share the load with him so he can earn some money.

After Escoltor loaded two sacks into his trisikad, Saldua came and stabbed him with a knife.

Five days after the killing, Saldua surrendered to Calamba Barangay Councilor Hildibrando Ygoña, who then turned over the accused to the police.