Motorists warned vs. 'sagasa modus' on Katipunan Avenue

Motorists were advised to be wary of their surroundings after a new "sagasa modus" was reported to have occurred on Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City.

In the "sagasa modus", a man pretended to have been in an accident and tried to stop a car supposedly to get help, according to a report by Dano Tingcungco on GMA News' 24 Oras on Sunday.

Ymen Padilla was on his way home to San Mateo from work before 1 a.m. on Friday and was driving on Katipunan Avenue from White Plains toward Marikina.

Video recorded by his dashcam showed a man suddenly crossing his path. He seemed to have a bloodied arm and was about to ask for help.

The man tapped the car's hood but Padilla did not attempt to stop.

In retaliation, the man hit his car loudly twice.

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"Tinap niya 'yung hood ko, mga two times. Ang lakas niya kasi eh. Hindi siya 'yung nasa state na humingi ng tulong eh. Gusto niya akong pahintuin eh. Gusto niyang sumakay," Padilla said.

The car had two dents and seemed to have "blood" smeared on it.

Padilla suspected that the man used his elbow and a rock in hitting his car.

Since the situation looked suspicious, Padilla said he decided not to stop the vehicle.

"'Yung paligid kasi eh parang may mga naka-motor sa gilid. Then may para siyang kasamang babae na lookout niya... Ang suspicious kasi ng mukha niya," he said.

Padilla said if the man was really hurt, he would not have used his bloodied arm to hit his hood.

"Kung talagang may sugat siya, hindi niya gagamitin 'yun panghampas, i-tap 'yung hood," he said.

When Padilla got home, he asked his sibling who is a nurse to take a look at the "blood" smeared on his car.

It was then confirmed by his sibling that the "blood" was fake.

"Maputla siya, parang food coloring. Wala siyang amoy. Pero pulang-pula siya. Pero 'di siya dugo," Padilla said.

He did not report the incident to police but posted about it instead on Facebook.

"While driving along Katipunan ave.. Always lock your doors and don't step out of the car. Modus eto," Padilla wrote.

Police said no one has reported such an incident so far, but they are patrolling the area nightly. —KG, GMA News