'Disabled' man drops crutches, pulls out knife to chase traffic marshall

A man in crutches, who would beg for money and curse at passengers at the EDSA Carousel busways, ended up chasing a traffic marshall with a knife at the Ortigas bus stop along EDSA.

According to Dano Tingcungco's report on "24 Oras" on Wednesday, a video posted on the social media page of the Inter-Agency Council for Traffic showed a traffic marshall following a man with crutches at the Ortigas Avenue station on Tuesday.

But despite the warning of the marshall, identified as SM2 Julius Abundol of the Philippine Coast Guard, the man proceeded to the middle of the road.

The events that followed revealed that the man was only pretending to be physically disabled.

The man dropped the crutches he was carrying, pulled out a knife and chased Abundol.

"Humihingi po siya tapos kapag hindi raw po binibigyan eh nagmumura tapos ang sinasabi ng iba, may nilalabas na patalim. Sabi ko, 'Sir, tumabi po kayo gawa ng natatakot na ang mga commuters na nakapila,'" Abundol related.

(He was asking for money and when the commuters refused to give him, he cursed them. Some even said the man would show them a bladed weapon. I told him to stand aside because the commuters are frightened.)

"Noong naglalakad na kami papunta sa poste eh parang may binubunot. Eh noong sinasabihan ko na 'Sir, umalis na po kayo' kasi while naglalakad siya, minumura niya ako," he added.

(While I was escorting him away from the queues and it seemed like he pulling out a weapon. When I was telling him to leave the area, he was cursing as he followed me.)

A member of the Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group then responded to the incident and helped Abundol accost and disarm the man.

It was found out that the man may be suffering from mental illness.

Abundol gave him money and escorted him to take a bus ride for Baclaran. He was not able to get the name of the man.

In a statement, I-ACT said the man, popularly known as "Ariel" was "infamous for loitering along the EDSA Carousel busways, begging for money, cursing at passengers, throwing rocks at buses, and does not seem to be in his right mind."

With this, I-ACT said it has bolstered its surveillance and will continue to ensure the deployment of marshals in the EDSA Carousel bus stops for the safety and security of commuters. -- Ma. Angelica Garcia/BAP, GMA News