Cook gets15 years for stabbing cabby

A cook was meted 15 years in prison for stabbing and almost killing a taxi driver.

Jose Ruedas Jr., said that on February 18, 2002 at about 9:30 p.m. while he was driving near JY Square in Lahug two men hailed him. The two, later on identified as Ronald Chiquito and Rannie Boy Chiquito, asked to be taken to Gaisano Country Mall in Banilad.

But when they were nearing the mall the two then told him to bring them instead to Happy Valley.

When they reached Happy Valley Rannie Boy, who was seated beside Ruedas, asked if he had a change for a P100 bill. And while they were at it, the man behind Ruedas grabbed his neck and held a knife against his side.

Ruedas grappled with the knife which caused wounds in his right palm. But he lost hold of the knife which prompted Ronald to stab the driver in the body, but Ruedas shielded his right leg from the blow earning him another wound in his right knee.

Then Ronald thrust the knife towards Ruedas' mouth causing the loss of four of his teeth and wounding the area below his right eye. And even with his weakness he was still able to come out from the cab where policemen saw and rescued him.

The two suspects were later seen by police hiding in the bushes near the crime scene.

When arraigned on March 5, 2002, Rannie Boy entered a guilty plea while Ronald pleaded not guilty.

Considering the evidence found from the suspects and the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses Regional Trial Court Branch 7 judge Simeon Dumdum Jr. found Ronald "guilty beyond reasonable doubt as principal of the crime of frustrated murder" and penalized him nine to 15 years and six months imprisonment.

The court also ordered him to pay Ruedas P30,000 as moral damages and P19,000 as actual damages aside from other costs.