Drug-crazed trike driver kills Isabela teen student

ILAGAN CITY, Philippines – Police recovered in an irrigation canal in Roxas, Isabela on Tuesday the body of a 15-year-old high school coed who was stabbed 18 times by a drug-crazed tricycle driver who also attempted to sexually molest her and her friend. Investigation showed that the victim, Diana Rose Bajo, a high school sophomore, and a friend, Vilma Estevez, 15, boarded the tricycle of suspect Rolando Esguerra, 47, last Monday night in Barangay Rang Ayan, Roxas town. Instead of bringing the two girls to their destination, Esguerra brought them to a deserted irrigation road and there began his sexual advances on the two. Estevez resisted and was stabbed in the right side of the body. She, however, was able to run away and sought help from a villager who brought her to a hospital. Bajo’s body bearing 18 stab wounds was found the next day beside the irrigation canal. Scene of the crime operatives were still investigating if the victim was raped before she was killed. A police manhunt for Esguerra is now underway. On Tuesday, Cyrish Magalang, a University of Santo Tomas graduate who was also slain by two drug-crazed brothers, one of them a tricycle driver, in Bacoor, Cavite, was laid to rest. - By Raymund Catindig