BURNED–The torched modern passenger jeep. Photo by Gemi Formaran
Transport groups feud leads to jeep burning in Quezon
LUCENA CITY--Four unidentified men armed with pistols flagged down and torched a modern passenger jeep along the national road along Brgy. Dahican, Catanauan, Quezon last Thursday.
The torching happened at 7:30 p.m. while the modern jeep, owned by Gumaca Transport Cooperative, was traversing along the highway.
No one was hurt during the incident and the perpetrators left casually after setting the vehicle into the fire.
Quezon police director Col. Ledon Monte said based on investigation, the torching incident has something to do with the rivalry between Gumaca Transport cooperative and colorum drivers of old jeepneys.
Monte made the disclosure following the results of the initial police investigation being conducted by Catanauan police station.
Probers gathered that at around 1:00 p.m. of January 23, Jeselito Martinez Formento, a dispatcher of Gumaca Transport took a picture of an old passenger jeep.
This earned the ire of a certain “Benboy Dichoso” of Brgy. 10, Catanauan, Quezon who uttered invectives against the picture taker.
Sometime in January 28, Alejo Macalalad, a driver of an old passenger jeep and Jayson Atienza, a driver of a modern passenger jeep had an argument due to highway clash while traversing the Gumaca-Catanauan route.
Monte said the police are looking into reports that those who carried out the burning were hired by some operators of old jeepneys.
