Saturday, October 07, 2006 Given ticket, motorist stabs, wounds traffic enforcer
FOR ordering a driver to move out of a no- stopping zone and issuing a ticket for the violation, a traffic enforcer was stabbed three times on N. Bacalso Ave., Cebu City yesterday morning.
Danilo dela Peña, an enforcer for the Cebu City Traffic Operations and Management (Citom), was taken to the hospital.
He reportedly asked Wenelito Tablada Esconas to move his minibus headed for Minglanilla from the no-stopping zone in front of the Cebu Institute of Technology.
Esconas was trying to get passengers along the highway without having to enter the One Citilink Terminal.
Because Esconas ignored him, dela Peña was forced to confiscate his driver’s license and issue him a temporary operator’s permit.
At this, Esconas suddenly stabbed him in his armpit and right side.
With dela Peña wounded, he grabbed the booklet of tickets and reached into dela Peña’s pockets to retrieve his license before driving off.
Pogoy Rotillo Jr., who was driving his jeepney bound for Talisay City, saw the incident and took dela Peña to the Cebu City Medical Center.
He was later transferred to the Chong Hua Hospital.
PO2 Julius Mabunay told reporters that Esconas was identified because he dropped a card that stated his vehicle was operated by Cebu Public Transport based in Sitio Burlas, Barangay Lagtang, Talisay City.
Mabunay said they contacted the operator and learned that the minibus, with plate number GWR 928, was driven by Esconas.
Bounty
In a press conference yesterday, an upset Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña offered P50,000 to anyone who can arrest the driver of the minibus.
“And if he resists arrest and if he is armed, shoot him. Maybe you’ll get more (cash reward),” he said.
He, however, did not say if the City will shoulder the enforcer’s hospitalization expenses.
Also at dawn, a policeman survived a graze wound in the head after chasing two men suspected of shooting and stabbing a tricycle driver in Buhisan Road, Barangay Punta Princesa.
PO2 Richard Sumalinog Tagadiad, 30, was with three other members of the Punta Princesa Police Station miscellaneous team to respond to a shooting in Buhisan yesterday dawn.
Mark Bert Labandero Ramirez, 25, said he was just sitting in his parked tricycle when Sherwin Abella dela Cerna, 28, and Jeffrey Regis Cebedo approached him and asked him for money so they could buy drinks.
Because he declined, they reportedly helped one another in beating him up with an iron pipe. They later stabbed and shot him, wounding different parts of his body.
Responding policemen led by SPO1 Rodulfo Guarin proceeded to the area and met three men on the way.
When they approached and introduced themselves as police officers, the three of them scampered off.
Tagadiad, who pursued Cebedo, was shot at.
His fellow policemen took him to the Miller Hospital. He was later discharged.
His colleagues also managed to collar their companion Excelso Villavelez, who was allegedly in possession of a deadly weapon. (MEA/With RHM)
