Cabbie modus hits city, driver charged
PERSONNEL of t he Talomo police filed charges before the City Prosecution Office against a taxi driver accused of robbing his passenger.
Charged with robbery under the Revised Penal Code was Santos Descallar Diez, 53, of brgy. Tigatto in Buhangin. The victim was charged based on the complaint filed by the victim Jesus Famacion Dizon II, 39, a pastor of the Victory Christian Fellowship, of Central Park in Bangkal.
Diez said he has been a taxi driver for 19 years and has denied the accusation.
The police brought the suspect before Prosecutor Panfilo Junior R. Lovitos at around 9 a.m. yesterday for inquest proceedings.
Dizon, in his sworn statement, said that when he arrived at Davao City International Airport at around 8 p.m. from Manila Saturday evening, he boarded a Krizia taxicab with plate number LXE–374, and took the front seat.
He said he asked the driver to drop him at Malindang Street at Central Park Phase 2 in Bangkal.
“When we reached the intersection almost close to the Commission on Audit (COA) building, and while the taxi was idle on red traffic signal, I felt unusual irritation in my eyes induced by an unknown substance and felt drowsy, and then I fell asleep,” Dizon claimed in his affidavit.
“When I woke up, I was surprised to find myself lying in a muddy and grassy portion on a road and unfamiliar place, that my eyesight was already blurred and my eyes were swollen. I noticed that my personal belongings were missing,” he added. Dizon said he could not find his white gold wedding ring worth P7,500; messenger bag worth PP1,500; brown Rusty Lopez shoes worth P2,000; brown belt worth P800; eyeglass worth P7,000; one polo shirt, gray t-shirt and brief, all worth P2,000; and Samsung phone worth P10,000, among others. “After regaining consciousness, I stood up and walked heading towards the main highway and read a signage indicating that I am already at Hill Crest subd. on Diversion Road [in Buhangin], Davao City. I rode another taxi to drop me home,” Dizon said.
Dizon together with his sister Janalyn Campos and her husband Randy Campos went to Talomo police on Sunday at around 1:05 a.m. to formally file a complaint against the accused, prompting the police to conduct a follow-up investigation.
The police were able to identify the accused after they went to the office of the Krisha taxi on Diversion Road in Maa. It was then the police contacted the phone number of the accused, but the latter turned off his phone.
According to PO1 Ariel Ocampo of the Talomo police, the accused showed up at Talomo police at around 10 a.m. Sunday to clear his name. But the complainant positively identified him as the driver of the taxi he boarded, prompting the police to arrest and detain the accused.
Diez, o n t he o t her hand, denied the accusation hurled against him by the complainant. He said he dropped his passenger in Buhangin because Dizon told him that he wanted to bet at a lotto station in the area. He said he even told the Dizon that it was already past 8 p.m. and Lotto has an early cut off.
He added that the complainant flagged down his taxi at around 8 p.m. at the airport.
Diez said he even returned to the airport because there was another flight that was arriving. He also said that the complainant was not asleep during their entire trip, and never had he robbed a passenger.
However, Danao dismissed Dizon’s denial.
“Sabi ng taxi driver, hinatid niya somewhere sa may Buhangin at mag patad ng lotto. Pero tapos na ang cut off time nun. So tingnan niyo sa dalawang iyon, sino mas ironic?” Danao said.
However, PSSCC head Retired General Francisco Villaroman said the PSSCC cannot provide any CCTV footage regarding the claim of the taxi driver that the victim disembarked in Buhangin. “It is possible but we can’t find any in our files so far... We will try to help and assist too based on our mandate to give a fair opportunity to everyone in the discharge of our duties,” Villaroman said in a post at the PSSCC Facebook page.
Meanwhile, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Monday commended the authorities for the immediate resolution to the case.
He also chided taxi drivers for its illegal activities.
“Remember yang dina drive ninyo is a taxi. Yang sumasakay sa inyo nasa likod mo. Siguraduhin nyo lang walang magalit sa iyo kasi all this time nasa front seat ka. Baka sunod na ihungit sa ulo mo 45 (caliber) na, (expletive) kayo. Huwag niyo yan gawin dito, mamatay talaga kayo,” Duterte said in a press conference at the City Hall on Monday.
“Kayong mga taxi driver, dapat mabait talaga kayo. Be respectful. And do your living clean,” he said.
Meanwhile, authorities were able to view the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) footage when the victim arrived at the airport at around 7:56 p.m. on Saturday. The victim waited for a cab at the waiting area and further proceeded to Hill Crest subd. on Diversion Road. ICT