Taxi driver found dead along Commonwealth Ave.

MANILA, Philippines — A taxi driver believed to have been robbed was found dead in the first hour of Monday on the outskirts of the University of the Philippines campus in Quezon City.

The case investigator, Senior Police Officer 1 Eric Lazo, named the victim as Fernando Gonzales, 48, a resident of Barangay (village) Greater Lagro.

The cabbie was discovered sprawled along Commonwealth Ave. near the U.P. Diliman camous at around 12:20 a.m. by a rescue team of UNTV, a TV station.

Police said Gonzales was rushed to the East Avenue Medical Center for several stab wounds in the chest but was pronounced dead on arrival.

Lazo said the UNTV crew was responding to a distress call about a vehicular accident at the corner of Tandang Sora and Commonwealth Aves. when they were informed about a body lying on the pavement.

The rescue team found the bloodied victim lying on his back and rushed him to the hospital.

His taxi with license plate UVR-151 was parked just several meters away along Commonwealth Ave.

Police believed that Gonzales was robbed before he was killed as the cabbie’s wallet was gone.

Lazo said they found the victim’s cellphone and a lady’s bag containing some women’s clothes.