Metro Briefs: Oct. 30, 2018

Unlucky gambler lands in jail for stealing taxicab

It was one misfortune after another for a 41-year-old driver who tried to reverse his bad luck, only to end up behind bars.

Ariel Laurente was arrested after he tried to steal a taxicab from its driver at 1:05 a.m. on Monday on Agno Street at Barangay Doña Josefa, Quezon City.

The police said the suspect made it just a few meters before the vehicle’s safety switch was activated, automatically shutting off the engine.

Investigation by the Quezon City police showed that at 12:50 a.m., Laurente flagged the taxicab at the corner of Quezon Avenue and Cordillera Street and asked the driver to bring him to Agno Street to fetch his supposed companion.

He then made up an excuse to get the driver out of the cab
and tried to drive away in the vehicle.

However, he was caught by barangay watchmen alerted by his victim.

Laurente said that he tried to steal the cab after he lost money from playing electronic “sabong” (cockfight). —Jhesset O. Enano

Toll roads ready for ‘Undas 2018’

The tollways group of San Miguel Corp. said its toll roads — South Luzon Expressway (SLEx), Skyway, Naia Expressway (Naiax), Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEx) — were all set for the expected surge in vehicular volume on Nov. 1 and 2 as it rolled out “Oplan Undas 2018” to ensure safe and convenient travel for motorists.

Additional traffic and security personnel and ambulant tellers will be deployed to the southbound portions of the toll roads, especially at identified areas and toll plazas where heavy traffic is expected from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, and on Nov. 3
to 5 when motorists return to Manila.

These include Skyway C5 to Alabang-Sucat interchange to Dr. Santos Avenue, Naiax Main Toll Plaza A and B, SLEx Sta. Rosa to Calamba Toll Plaza A and B and Ayala Toll Plaza, STAR Tollway Sto. Tomas Entry, Lipa (City) Exit, and Balagtas
to roundabout.

For more information, download the traffic navigator, Southern Tollways, or check the official Twitter accounts of Skyway (@SkywaySOMCO) and SLEx (@OfficialSLEX).

For 24/7 emergency assistance and traffic updates, call or text (02) 318-TOLL (8655); Skyway: 0917-5398762, 0999-8860893, 0932-8546980; SLEx: 0917-6877539; STAR Tollway: 0917-5117827, 0908-5117827; and TPLEx: 0917-8880715.