Quarrel over passengers leads to stabbing of pedicab driver

Two pedicab drivers in Tondo, Manila fighting over passengers ended up in a stabbing incident, Marisol Abduarahman reported on "24 Oras."

Based on the CCTV footage, the victim was sitting in front of a store on Wednesday when a man approached him and suddenly stabbed him in the back.

The victim was still able to stand while the suspect quickly fled.

“Nalaman po natin 'yung ginamit nyang panaksak ay naiwan sa mismong likod nitong biktima,” said Manila Police District (MPD) spokesperson Police Major Philippi Ines. 

(We found out that the knife he used was left in the victim's back.)

According to the investigation of the MPD, both the victim and the suspect were pedicab drivers and the cause of the stabbing was a dispute over passengers.

“Nagkaroon sila ng pag aaway dahil dito sa agawan sa mga pasahero nila,” said Ines. 

(They fought due to rivalry with their passengers.)

The suspect was caught in a hot pursuit operation Wednesday night and a .38 caliber gun was recovered.

The suspect did not deny committing the crime and said that he had been in a dispute with the victim for a long time because of the fight about the passengers.

“Nauna po tayong tinawag ng pasahero, inagaw nya po tapos siya pang matapang. Depensahan ko lang po sarili ko na kesa naman po ako maunahan, inunahan ko na lang po siya kasi hina-hunting nya po talaga ako,” said the suspect. 

(The passenger called us first, but he was arrogant and snatched them from me. I just defended myself, I used the opportunity to get ahead of him because he was hunting me.) 

When asked why he had a gun, he said “Pang-depensa sa ko lang po sa sarili ko yun kasi hina-hunting ako mga kasama niya.”

(It's just for my defense because his companions are hunting me.)

The suspect is now facing complaints of frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms.

Meanwhile, the victim is in stable condition and is still recovering at the hospital.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News