MANILA, Philippines – A taxi driver narrowly escaped death after two young men, who appeared to be high on drugs, allegedly tried to rob and kill him in Parañaque City early Friday.
PO2 Arnel Prades, case investigator, said Jeffrey Mercado, 30, was driving his LBR taxi (TYP 989) along Sucat Road around 2.30 a.m. when haled by the suspects identified as Babir Timothy Luzuriaga, 21, and Pocholo Patawaran, 20, both residents of BF Resort Subdivision, Las Piñas City.
When the suspects got inside the taxi, Luzuriaga pulled out a knife, pointed it to the driver’s neck and announced a holdup, police said.
When Mercado tried to fight back, Luzuriaga allegedly tried to slash his throat.
Prades said Mercado then intentionally slammed his cab into a parked garbage truck to catch the attention of bystanders and village watchmen.
The suspects immediately got out of the cab and hid in a grassy area but were caught just the same.
Police said they were looking at the possibility that the suspects were just on a “drug trip” and that they belonged to affluent families, noting that the pair wore designer clothes.
Prades said Luzuriaga admitted to the crime, claiming that he needed money for the medical needs of his cancer-stricken mother.
The suspect, however, cleared Patawaran who, he said, did not have any idea about the robbery.
