Makati robbery foiled: Beware of ‘hidden cab passengers’

MANILA, Philippines–The Makati City police warned cab riders to be more alert and check the taxi they flag down for “hidden” passengers before getting into the vehicle.

The Makati police chief Senior Supt. Ernesto Barlam issued the warning on Tuesday, hours after his men caught a taxi driver and his accomplice in an attempted robbery, in which the latter concealed himself in the vehicle by crouching in the front seat under a blanket.

Ponciano Libunao II, 32, and Ron Jovy Turla, 21, were arrested after they stabbed Elaine Quiambao, a passenger they picked up around 1 a.m. Tuesday. The wounded Quiambao was brought to Makati Medical Center for treatment.

A police report said Quiambao got into the Gaudencio de Guzman taxi driven by Libunao at the corner of Osmeña Highway and Malugay Street.

Unknown to her, Turla was in the front passenger seat, hiding under a blanket. He then revealed himself and ordered her at knifepoint to hand over her valuables.

When she resisted, the two men stabbed her in the chest and back, but she still managed to shout for help and get out of the moving cab, attracting the attention of a patrol team from the Makati public safety office.

The taxi robbers tried to escape but their vehicle went wayward and hit a roadside structure. Libunao, who was trapped inside the vehicle, was immediately arrested by responding policemen while Turla managed to run to the parking area of a nearby mall before he was stopped by security guards.

Barlam said the two men yielded two fan knives and a pistol.

Other passengers who may have been victimized by the two suspects were encouraged to come forward and file complaints. “We also want to warn the public [against] this kind of modus operandi which can be used by other cab drivers here in the city,” Barlam said.

The operator of the taxi later showed up at the police station, saying Libunao was hired three months ago, Barlam said. “He could be moving from one driving job to another, using his vehicle to victimize cab passengers together with his accomplice.”