Bus driver in EDSA chase surfaces

The driver of a provincial bus that was shot at by a former lawmaker in a chase along EDSA last Wednesday has emerged after a day in hiding.

Severino Coronado, driver of the Quezon Liner bus, told the Makati police that he feared his life was in danger after former sectoral representative Mohammad Omar Albano Fajardo allegedly fired at his bus and poked a gun at him.

In a statement, Coronado said he was driving along the southbound lane of EDSA near the Ayala tunnel when a Mercedes Benz van overtook his vehicle and blocked his path.

Coronado said Fajardo directed him to pull over with his gun. As he stepped on the brakes, his conductor Rolando Manguiat told him that they were being fired at.

He immediately sped off into the tunnel in an attempt to escape, but his bus was fired at again by his pursuer.

The van reportedly overtook the bus and stopped abruptly, causing a collision between the two vehicles.

Coronado continued his frantic run toward the BLTB bus terminal in Pasay City, where he parked the bus.

The driver and Manguiat quickly jumped out and ran for shelter at the office of the manager but Fajardo allegedly pursued them.

Security guards of the bus terminal stepped in to pacify Fajardo while Coronado and Manguiat escaped.

Coronado said that he went to Camp Vicente Lim to seek help from a friend at the National Police Commission. He was told to file a complaint with the Makati police.

Senior Inspector Alejandro Alisangco, chief of the General Assignments Section of the Makati police, said they are preparing a charge of indiscriminate firing against Fajardo.

In the case of grave threats, Alisangco said they are still evaluating whether the case should be filed in Makati City or Pasay City.