Taxi driver in Manila injured after passenger slashes his neck

A taxi driver was injured and brought to the hospital for treatment after being slashed in the neck by one of his three passengers in Manila.

According to Jhomer Apresto’s Thursday report on “24 Oras,” the taxi driver was injured along Ayala Boulevard in Ermita, Manila in the afternoon of November 3.

The police said the suspects were from Pasay City and wanted to go to Sta. Mesa, Manila, but they argued with the driver along the way.

The driver was struck after he made a stop along Ayala Boulevard when one of the suspects said he wanted to go to a restroom.

Two of the suspects ran away while the other remained in the vehicle.

Authorities arrested alias Simplicio after the victim sought help from the Manila District Enforcement Unit and Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau personnel.

The driver was hospitalized for treatment and was discharged after two days.

Meanwhile, authorities arrested alias De Guzman in Mandaluyong City during a follow-up operation on November 3.

The following day, the police arrested a certain "Jerusalem" in Quezon City after De Guzman revealed his location.

Authorities, however, were not able to recover the weapon, which they said could be a chisel or paet.

According to the police, the suspects may have committed the crime after complaining about the high fare.

Simplicio said they had just applied for construction jobs when they took a taxi.

The driver allegedly asked for an additional P50 on top of the flag-down rate, to which they agreed.

However, they only had P250 and the fare had already reached P280 by the time they got to Ayala Boulevard.

Simplicio said he already told the driver he would borrow money upon reaching the drop-off point.

The investigation showed that Jerusalem slashed the driver’s neck, to which he admitted, saying that it may have been caused by overfatigue and hunger.

Alias De Guzman claimed he never intended to flee, but he did not go back to the victim out of fear.

Authorities are investigating whether the suspects were involved in previous crimes.

They are facing frustrated murder charges and are detained in the Ermita Police Station — Mariel Celine Serquiña/BAP, GMA Integrated News