Ex-cager Paul Alvarez arrested for mauling taxi driver

Former professional basketball player Paul Alvarez was arrested early Tuesday after mauling a taxi driver whom he accused of trying to jack up his fare by giving him the "runaround." Taxi driver Wilfredo Cabanlit said Alvarez was drunk when he flagged down his cab in Quezon City, and tried to attack him when he thought he was being taken for a "joyride." "Nagalit kasi sa akin dahil iniikot ko raw siya. Iniiwasan ko lang ang traffic, matatagalan tayo sa traffic sa Shaw, dumaan tayo sa Boni. Sabi niya 'tarantado,' minura niya ako. Kako walang problema sa ikot, bawasan natin sa bill kung nagagalit kayo ... Lasing ho siya (He got mad at me because he thought I was deliberately taking the long route just to jack up the fare. I told him I was just trying to avoid traffic by passing through Boni Avenue instead of Shaw Boulevard. But he cursed at me. I told him I was willing to accept less than the meter fare. But he was drunk)," Cabanlit said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said Alvarez flagged down his cab at Timog in Quezon City and asked to be taken to Pasig City, but he engaged the driver in an altercation in Mandaluyong City. Cabanlit said Alvarez beat him up and smashed a beer bottle in his face. He said he got out of the cab and ran for help, with Alvarez chasing him. Village watchmen pacified the former cager and brought him to the police station, but Alvarez's troubles did not end there. He reportedly hit a television reporter who was trying to interview him. The dzBB report said the reporter will lodge a separate complaint against Alvarez. - GMANews.TV