Cabbie renders cop paralyzed

CEBU, Philippines - A blow to the nape is dangerous.

A policeman is now in critical condition after he got paralyzed when a drunken taxi driver boxed him on the nape when he was responding to an alarm in Oslob town around midnight last Wednesday.

The victim was identified as PO3 Rene Caverte, 48, a native of San Carlos City in Negros Occidental and detailed at the Oslob Police Station.

PO2 Allan Villasorda of the Oslob police said Caverte was with their chief, Sr. Insp. Juan Casipong, and other policemen to respond to a report about a drunken taxi driver who was hitting garbage cans with his taxicab in barangay Daanglungsod.

The driver, identified later as Amid Avecena, 34, of Juscar taxi, also allegedly emptied the trash cans unto the streets.

At the area, Casipong managed to persuade Avecena to go with them to the police station, however, the taxi driver suddenly boxed Caverte on his nape and the policeman slumped to the ground.

Caverte still reportedly recovered and went with his fellow policemen in bringing Avecena to the police station, albeit very silent on the way. At the police station, however, his fellow policemen got alarmed when they saw Caverte crawling on the ground.

They later learned that Caverte suffered from a stroke. He is presently confined at the Intensive Care Unit of the Visayas Community Hospital.

Provincial Police Director Jesus Gaquing said the PNP will shoulder Caverte’s hospital expenses.

Avecena, for his part, was charged with direct assault and malicious mischief. — Niña G. Sumacot/JMO (THE FREEMAN)