Despite hitting the proverbial blank wall on its investigation, the Virac Municipal Police Station said it is continuing to implement measures against certain tricycle drivers allegedly preying on female passengers riding alone.
In a statement issued last week, the Catanduanes Provincial Police Office headed by Provincial Director P/Col. Edward D. Quijano said the capital town’s police force is seriously acting on reports on social media regarding the tricycle drivers bringing lone woman passengers past their destinations and towards uninhabited areas with intent to commit harm.
Aside from interviewing the supposed victims, the Virac MPS is also coordinating with residents with CCTV cameras as the footage could help identify the suspects.
It urged the riding public to avoid patronizing tricycles without body numbers or are unregistered and to avoid riding tricycles alone especially at night or to areas unfamiliar to the passenger.
The police also advised everyone to save emergency contacts on their cellphones, particularly the police hotline and those of barangay officials, so they could be informed in case of danger.
If they happen to experience untowards incidents or witness suspicious activity, the public should not hesitate to contact the nearest police station or outpost, the Virac MPS stated.
The Catanduanes police is also calling on residents or establishments with CCTV cameras to assist in monitoring their surroundings and in identifying those involved in suspicious activities by ensuring that their CCTV systems are operating.
“The safety of every citizen is everyone’s responsibility. Through our being alert, early reporting and coordinated action, we will be able to avoid such incidents and maintain peace and order in our communities,” it stressed.
Last week, a Facebook post by a female student of the Catanduanes National High School went viral when she recounted what happened to her 19-year-old friend who boarded a tricycle at the Virac Sports Center parking area sometime after noon.
The friend claimed that the tricycle went past the school, with the driver ignoring her appeal to alight by a church until they reached a grassy area San Isidro Village. There, the tricycle unexpectedly ran out of gas, allowing the frightened passenger to alight and flag down a passing tricycle.
At the school, the would-be victim told the story to her friend as well as their teacher. She said she was unable to remember the plate or body number and described the driver only as a tall, dark-complexioned man with an earring who looked like a drug addict.
The report came just days after another woman passenger recounted her experience in riding a tricycle along past 5 PM in front of the Calatagan Elementary School on her way to the Catanduanes State University.
The tricycle driver, however, told her that he would go somewhere near the Immaculate Concepcion Seminar Academy as he has something to get.
When she replied that she would ride another tricycle as she could be late for her exam, the driver said, “Madali man sana uni, ‘bhe.”
Later, she noticed that the driver sped on past ICSA until it reached the far grassy area of Cavinitan. The fearful passenger began shouting for help until they encountered another tricycle. She jumped out of the still running vehicle to save herself from possible harm.
The driver was described as a dark-skinned, slightly chubby man while the tricycle had no plate number.
A few months ago, another female rider also reported on social media another tricycle driver who volunteered to wait for her after bringing her to Calatagan.
On their way back, the driver asked her for the name she used on Facebook and stopped the tricycle. When she asked why, the driver said, “Dai man, maulu istoryahan sana kita.”
He refused to start the tricycle until she gave in, but later when they were on their say, she unfollowed him on social media.
The “creepy” driver asked her to chat with him and even tried to invite her for snacks but she refused as she was becoming uncomfortable.
While the post did not provide a description of the driver, it gave the body number of the tricycle as “3801.”
Virac police chief Maj. Emsol E. Icawat disclosed that the CNHS student in the viral FB post went to the police station for investigation but could not describe the driver.
Investigators also accompanied the second woman who was brought by the tricycle driver to Cavinitan to the roads which they passed but only one house along the way had a CCTV camera and the footage did not provide a clear view of the driver.