Grab condemns driver’s killing by carjackers

Ride-sharing company Grab Philippines is condemning the death of one of its drivers, who was killed by carjackers in Pasay City last Thursday.

Gerardo Amolato Maquidato Jr. “was killed by still unidentified suspects, who booked and rode as regular passengers before shooting him and fleeing in his vehicle,” Grab said in a statement yesterday.

Grab said Maquidato was killed at around 7:50 p.m. on Thursday while driving a silver Toyota Innova with plate number YV 7109.

A witness said Maquidato was shoved out of the car along Bonanza street in Pasay.

Grab refused to name Maquidato’s last passenger so as not to jeopardize an ongoing police investigation.

Grab has reported six confirmed cases of carnapping incidents involving vehicles under their platforms.

“These incidents were perpetrated by criminals pretending to be legitimate passengers,” it said.

Maquidato earned praise from netizens when he did not accept payment from a sick passenger in October last year. A relative of the passenger narrated the incident in a Facebook post.

Grab said it is working on a tech solution “that would decrease, if not completely hamper” the carjackings.

“We encourage our driver-partners to be vigilant, and to use 911 hotline for emergency cases,” it added.