Viral indiscriminate firing video recorded in Guam, says Pangasinan police

MANILA, Philippines- The Pangasinan Provincial Police Office (PPO) has identified one of the men seen indiscriminately firing guns in several videos that emerged online.

Indiscriminate firing caught on video. Screengrab from Youtube.

In the videos that have since gone viral, several men speaking in Filipino and Ilocano were caught taking turns in firing two rifles into the air in the presence of onlookers. The controversial 39-second video uploaded on the Evan Demata Facebook page on Sunday, January 3 earned the ire of netizens.

One of the men was identified by Senior Superintendent Rolie Saltat, officer-in-charge of the Pangasinan PPO as Eduardo Quinit. However, it was established that Quinit no longer lives in the Philippines and has migrated to Guam since 1996.

Watch the video:


Saltat explained: "Identified na ito. Siya si Eduardo Quinit na taga-Barangay Pindangan, Sison, Pangasinan. Pero wala na ito doon. 1996 nang mag-migrate sila sa Guam. Kaya hindi ito sa Pangasinan ginawa, yung pagpapaputok ng baril.”

(We already identified him. He is Eduardo Quinit from Barangay Pindangan, Sison, Pangasinan. But he no longer lives there since he migrated to Guam in 1996. That’s why the indiscriminate firing incident didn’t take place in Pangasinan.)

According to Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ricardo Marquez, they will no longer focus on the said indiscriminate firing incident since it occurred outside the Philippines. Instead, the PNP will be focusing on other cases of indiscriminate firing in the country.

As of 10 a.m. on Monday, January 4, the PNP has documented 41 stray bullet-related injuries without fatalities and recorded 54 stray bullet incidents since they started counting victims on December 16.

A total of 9 people, 7 of whom were civilians, one was a policeman, and another one was a security guard, have been arrested due to illegal discharge of firearms as of 10 am on Monday, January 4. Police Officer 1 Francis Nepomuceno will be facing administrative charges for firing his gun.

-Mini/TheSummitExpress

ABS-CBN issues statement on Cathy Garcia-Molina controversy

MANILA, Philippines - ABS-CBN has responded to the talents who complained against Cathy Garcia-Molina's alleged verbal abuse happened in the set of the defunct TV series “Forevermore.”

In a statement sent to showbiz news site Philippine Entertainment Portal, ABS-CBN said it acknowledged and responded immediately to the letter of Alvin Campomanes in October 2014. Campomanes served as a substitute actor for a minor role in the former primetime drama, who said, he was cursed and humiliated by Molina.

READ: Open Letter against “Forevermore” Director Cathy Garcia-Molina goes viral

The Kapamilya network added that they were surprised that the issue was not resolved despite of the advice of agency, who engaged Campomanes and her girlfriend Rossellyn Domingo's services for the said project that the issue was already settled.

Here's the full statement of ABS-CBN:

“ABS-CBN acknowledged and responded immediately to Alvin Campomanes when he wrote to us in October 2014. We also sought a meeting with Mr Campomanes and Rossellyn Domingo through MTQ Promotions and Talent Management, the agency that engaged their services for the project.

“But we were later informed by MTQ Promotions and Talent Management owner Mary Ann Trumata-Rejano that there was no need for a meeting as they had met with Mr Campomanes and Ms Domingo and settled the issue.

“When Ms Domingo posted an open letter on her Facebook last Dec 30, we were surprised to learn that the issue has not been resolved, contrary to what the talent agency owner told us. At present, we are in communication with Mr Campomanes and both parties have agreed to meet to resolve the matter.”

VIDEO: Abusive taxi driver caught harassing passengers

MANILA, Philippines - A Facebook video showing an abusive taxi driver harassing passengers is making rounds online.

Abusive taxi driver caught on video. Screengrab from Facebook

In the controversial video posted by a certain J. A. Garcia on Tuesday, January 5, an unidentified cab driver, whose vehicle plate number is UWB666, was caught on camera threatening female passengers from SM North EDSA on their way to POEA in Mandaluyong City.

According to Garcia, the driver initially charged a P250 fixed fare. Garcia refused to accept his offer insisting that she would pay based on metered rate. When they reached POEA, Garcia gave the driver P200 expecting a P50 change. To Garcia’s surprise, the driver began violently shouting and cursing at her when she was asked for her change.

Although the taxi meter only registered P140, the driver stressed that Garcia should pay him P350. The driver, who refused to give their change, repeatedly cursed on Garcia and her companion and even threatened to hurt them if they wouldn’t alight the taxi.

When the driver noticed that Garcia was taking his video, he allegedly hurt her prompting them to get off the taxi. Reportedly, the driver only stopped harassing Garcia and her companion when he noticed several men in the area.

Garcia claims that the driver was high on drugs during the incident.

Watch the video of the incident.

#UWB666 eto po ang pinaka nakakatakot na driver na nasakyan ko.. from sm north po sumakay ako sa nakapilang taxi ... sabi niya sakin 250 daw sabi ko naman naka metro naman kuya... And so i thought ok n si kuya sa metro... pero nung nasa POEA n kami inabot ko kay kuya ung 200 expecting a 50 change... din bigla nalang nagsisigaw si kuya eh GAGO ka pala, eh dapat nga 350 tapos sabi m sakin ikaw bahala at metro nalang.. so sabi kuya kaya nga i metro so 140 lang... tapos 3 beses ako ulit minura ayaw ibigay ang sukli, tapos sabi sakin ni kuya sasapakin ako pag di ako bumababa, nung makita nya na vinideo ko sya pinukpuk nya ako.. so bumababa na ako and nagstop ng video.. pero hinabol nya ako sa baba then mukhang sasapakin so sabi ko hali ka kuya sige subukan mo tapos natakot nalang sya dahil me mga tao and puro lalake nakatingin saknya and tinatawag ako para tawagin ung police... tsaka lang humarurot si kuya... una po high si kuya at kung ano ano pinagsasabi, pangalawa sana etong ganitong driver hindi kinukuha... papatay talaga si kuya literal... #nakakatakot sya sobra.#pakisharepo #walangnamengdriver
Posted by Joanna A Garcia on Monday, January 4, 2016

As of press time, the video has gone viral getting over 6,000 shares on the social network.

While it’s not uncommon to encounter abusive taxi drivers in the country particularly in the metro, these drivers may soon have a taste of their own medicine through a Senate bill filed by former Senator Jinggoy Estrada last year.

Senate bill 2872 or the Act Penalizing the Charging of Taxi Fares which are Higher than the Official Rate, the Failure to Use the Taxi Meters or the Refusal to Carry without Cause Taxi Passengers to their Places of Destination aims to penalize drivers who refuse to take in passengers as well as those who charge fares higher than metered rates.

Taxi drivers who will violate will be fined at least P5000 and suspended from driving between one to five years. Meanwhile, operators with offending drivers will be charged between P10,000 and P20,000. -Mini/TheSummitExpress