'UP professor' hits woman in traffic row

MANILA, Philippines - A man who introduced himself as a University of the Philippines professor is facing charges for allegedly punching a woman driving a scooter following a traffic altercation at the UP Diliman campus in Quezon City Monday afternoon.

Amador Arjeta claimed he was unaware that the victim was a woman, who was then wearing a jacket and a helmet.

“While we were at the UP Police station, he (Arjeta) was apologizing. He reasoned that he thought I was a man. But I’m determined to press charges against him,” the 24-year-old victim told The STAR in an interview yesterday.

The victim, who works at the Quezon City Hall, suffered a cut lip. UP Police personnel brought Arjeta to the UP Infirmary for symptoms for hypertension, said Superintendent Franklin Moises Mabanag, chief of the Quezon City Police District-Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit (QCPD-CIDU).

“Before he was turned over to us by the UP Diliman Police, we followed the standard operating procedure to have every suspect undergo a medical exam,” Mabanag said.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday, UP Infirmary staff said Arjeta was technically still under observation at the emergency room but added that “he went out for a while.”

According to the QCPD, the UP Police did not verify Arjeta’s identity, nor did they ask for his contact details.

As of noon yesterday, policemen were preparing charges of serious physical injury against Arjeta, said Chief Inspector Cherry Lou Donato, chief of the General Investigation Section of the QCPD-CIDU.

Donato said the incident happened at past 3 p.m. on Monday just as the victim was on her way back to the office after having papers photocopied at the UP Shopping Center.

According to victim, Arjeta, who was driving his blue-gray Toyota Corolla, cut into her lane as she was about to make a turn at Magsaysay Street on her scooter.

“He quickly swerved to the right, prompting me to squeeze the brake. I almost bumped into his rear wheels,” the victim said.

The victim said Arjeta got out of his vehicle and tried to start a confrontation. She said she ignored Arjeta and continued driving.

However, Arjeta allegedly chased the victim and blocked her path. The victim said she nearly fell off her scooter.

At that point, Arjeta again got out of his car and demanded that the woman give him her driver’s license. When she refused, the victim said Arjeta started throwing punches at her.

“His third punch finally landed on my lips... He even hit my head,” the victim said, noting that her nose and her lips were the only portion of her face not covered by the helmet.

The STAR tried to get Arjeta’s side, but staff at the UP Department of Psychology, where the suspect claimed he was teaching, said his name was not on the list of its faculty members and instructors.