ARMED MEN BURN MODERN JEEP IN QUEZON

FOUR gun-wielding men on Wednesday night flagged down and torched a modern passenger jeep on the national road in Bgy. Dahican, Catanauan, Quezon.

Quezon police director Col. Ledon Monte said the burning occurred at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The modern jeep owned by Gumaca Transport Cooperative was traversing the highway when stopped by the suspects and ordered the passengers to alight from the vehicle before setting it on fire.

The suspects casually left the area after the incident.

No one among the passengers was hurt.

Monte said based on initial investigation, the torching had something to do with the rivalry between the Gumaca Transport Cooperative and colorum drivers of old jeepneys.

The official made the disclosure following the results of initial police probe being conducted by the Catanauan Police Station.

Probers gathered that at around 1 p.m. of January 23, Jeselito, a dispatcher of Gumaca Transport took a picture of an old pasenger jeep, earning the ire of a certain “Benboy” of Catanauan, Quezon.

“Bakit mo pinipicturan ang mga jeep namin na bumibiyahe papuntang Gumaca, baka may mangyaring masama sa inyo,” the man allegedly uttered.

In January 28, a driver of an old pasenger jeep named Alejo and Jayson, driver of a modern passenger jeep had an argument while traversing Gumaca- Catanauan road.

“Nagkakagitgitan po kasi sa highway ‘yung old at modern jeep dahil sa pag- uunahan sa mga pasahero”, said a police source.

Citing the incidents, Monte said police are looking into reports that those who carried out the burning were possibly hired by some operators of old jeepneys.

Personnel of the Quezon Provincial Forensic Unit under Lt. Col. Sharon Fabros processed the crime scene. GF