Tomas offers cash reward to locate road rage suspect

CEBU, Philippines — A P10,000 cash reward has been dangled by Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña for anyone who can give information on the whereabouts of a road rage suspect whose video went viral on social media.

Edward Erasmo is now wanted by the Cebu City Police Office after he smashed the window of Yoo Taxi driven by Christopher Lador last Tuesday along Pope John Paul II Avenue in Barangay Kasambagan.

“I will establish a reward for your capture if I have to. I will do other things if you make me. Turn yourself in. The less headaches you give me, the less headaches I give you,” Osmeña posted on his Facebook page last night.

He confirmed to The FREEMAN that he is giving P10,000 reward for the arrest of Erasmo who also allegedly threatened to shoot the taxi driver.

The taxi company as well as the owner of the Toyota Innova Erasmo rented will be filing criminal charges against him. This is on top of the administrative sanctions he might be facing for discourtesy and gross misconduct. The penalty is P12,000 fine and suspension of his driver’s license with the Land Transportation Office.

"We have referred the incident to our lawyers. We are considering filing charges of grave threats, physical injuries and malicious mischief," said Maricor Guadalquiver, manager of Ken Taxi, in an interview with The Freeman.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-7 yesterday called a hearing on the incident but Erasmo did not appear. The owner of the vehicle, Ryan Rubilla, showed up to explain that Erasmo rented it.The taxi driver and his manager were also present.

LTFRB-7 spokesperson Isidro Tumulak said that prior to the incident, the taxi driver overtook Erasmo which could have irked the latter, prompting him to chase Lador and blocked him.

"Based on my investigation, ang Innova nagpatunga sa agi-anan unya kaning taxi nagsunod nga naa siya sa left lane. Kay naa man sa tunga ang Innova, niuna ang taxi. Pero gigukod sa Innova ang taxi mao to gibabagan sa Innova ang taxi. Nigawas ang driver sa Innova og gipukpuk og bato ang bintana sa driver side,” Tumulak said.

The taxi driver suffered a palm injury stemmed from a broken glass window.

Tumulak said Rubilla also complained of estafa against Erasmo before the Mabolo Police Station. He claimed that Esrasmo did not remit the rentals of the vehicle for two weeks.

Based on the LTFRB-7 records, the Toyota Innova has an existing franchise as tourist van attached to Flaminggo Rent a Car Transport Inc.

Tumulak said a show cause order was already served to the rent-a-car company directing the management to explain why their franchise should not be suspended because of the road rage incident.

The Toyota Innova was left by Erasmo at the gasoline station in Barangay Basak, Lapu-Lapu City.

It was the wife of Erasmo who turned over the key to the owner few hours after the incident. The wife claimed she could no longer contact her husband. (FREEMAN)