Men steal, abandon vehicles for kicks

CEBU, Philippines - Three unidentified men allegedly including a minor are reportedly behind the abandonment of several vehicles and the shooting of two people on Sunday night.

Cebu City Theft and Robbery Section chief, Chief  Inspector Noli Cernio, theorized that the perpetrators, who were probably high on illegal drugs, forcibly took a taxi cab, several motorcycles, an SUV, and a multicab, and shot two people just for kicks.

“Tripping gyud ni. Wala’y tawo nga tarong og huna-huna nga mobuhat og ingon ini,” said Cernio.

Cernio said that at past 4 p.m. on Sunday, the three suspects took a cab from Talisay City and drove it all the way to Cebu City.

Elinito Catalia, 41, driver of Emerson Taxi (CEH 719) showed up yesterday morning at the TRS office and narrated his fate with the suspects.

Catalia said the three flagged him down at D. Jakosalem corner R. Landon Streets in Cebu City and asked him to bring them to Minglanilla.

The “minor” sat in the front while the other two at the back. He described one of them as dark and fat with mustache and was wearing a loose shirt and had earrings on his lips and the other as skinny and dark. They were bringing helmets, the driver recounted.

When they reached Barangay Tungkil, Minglanilla, the fat one allegedly ordered him to stop and then alighted from the taxi.

“Gipahunong ko sir, unya miingon to ang usa nga huwata lang bai kay magkuha siya sa yawe sa motor,” he said.

But to his surprise, the skinny one drove the motorcycle and parked it in front of the cab. The fat one ordered him to follow the motorcycle all the way to Talisay City and asked him to stop somewhere in Barangay Pooc.

“Timing kayo sir nga pag-start niya sa makina wa na moandar, mao to nangita og sudlanan sa gasolina,” he further narrated.

The fat one then ordered him to go near a gasoline station after seeing the skinny motorcycle driver carrying a mineral water container.

At the gas station, they ordered the pump boy to fill the container with gasoline. They then asked the cab driver to pay for it.

“Naglain na akong huna-huna sir kay nisakay nako nya wala diay kwarta. Nagduda na gyud ko ato,” the driver said.

Trying to pretend, the cab driver told the fat one that he wanted to use the toilet and decided to call for police assistance, but his phone was left inside the cab.

He decided to come back, took his bag and ran towards the gasoline station’s security guard.

“Miaksyon sila og harong nako sir, mao tong ako na lang gipa-andar ang taxi ug giingnan nako nga kamo na la’y drive ana. Nidagan ko’g balik sa guard sir,” he added.

At past 10 p.m., Catalia’s taxi cab hit a motorcycle driven by Gasoni Alibango with Julius Capuno in Barangay Tabunan.

Capuno got up but one of the suspects ordered him to give their weapon, to which Capuno decline, prompting the suspects to shoot him.

Ramil Abatayo, thinking that they figured in an accident, stopped to supposedly help the two but one of the suspects struck his head with a gun, took the motorcycle and abandoned the taxi cab.

Capuno and Alibango landed at the hospital for immediate medical treatment.

Minutes later, the suspects saw a Chevrolet (JEC 386) parked near Ayala Heights, decided to stop and shot twice Eleanor Rivera, 53.

They then took the SUV and drove it towards Barangay Babag. They also abandoned the vehicle and flagged down another motorcycle 19-year-old John Paul Zamora was driving.

Zamora then saw the suspects flagged down a multicab and drove away.

Cernio said that the witnesses told them the suspects changed clothes and stopped near Plaza Housing before taking a passenger jeepney.

The TRS chief said that for now, he is eliminating carnapping as the motive of the three suspects.

A team of  investigator told Cernio that Rivera’s things inside the car were still intact. (FREEMAN)