Jeepney drivers' leader shot in Bicol

MANILA- Transport group Pinag-isang Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Opereytor Nationwide (PISTON) on Monday led a nationwide strike against rising oil prices.

According to PISTON, allied transport groups and people's organizations are taking part in the strike that seeks to cripple 80% of transportation in Metro Manila.
 
PISTON secretary-general George San Mateo said jeepney groups in Pasay, Cubao, Parañaque, and Marikina are not plying their routes along with groups in Southern Tagalog, Baguio, Panay, Guimaras island, Davao, General Santos City, Cagayan de Oro, Legazpi City, and Cebu.

In Quezon City, around 100 members of PISTON and its supporters held a protest along Aurora Boulevard demanding a rollback in prices of oil products.

San Mateo assailed the Arroyo government for not responding to the demands of their 200,000 members. Regardless of how many joined the strike, he said what is important is they were able to send their message to authorities.  

"Ang importante dito yung mensahe na anytime magtawag ng welga ang PISTON kikilos kami, dahil ang welga, di namin ginagawang negosyo," San Mateo said.

Transport leader shot

Meanwhile, a leader of a transport group in Bicol was shot early morning Monday by still unidentified perpetrators.

Joel Ascutia, president of the Concerned Drivers and Operators for Reform-PISTON and deputy secretary-general of PISTON, was sitting on the driver’s seat of their service jeepney when he and a companion were fired upon by two unidentified assailants in front of a gasoline station in Daraga, Albay.
   
Ascutia's companion said they were sitting inside the jeepney preparing for the activity in line with Monday’s nationwide transport strike when they heard five gunshots.

Ascutia was able to shout that he had been hit by a bullet.
    
Ascutia was immediately rushed to the Bicol Regional Training and teaching Hospital in Legazpi City for medical treatment.

He sustained a lone gunshot wound in his left stomach and was still under observation, as of posting.

He will undergo surgery to remove the bullet in his stomach.
 
Transport and militant groups, however, said the incident will not hamper the one-day transport strike.

Leo Caballero, an official of the human rights department of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) in Bicol, said the strike will go on.

He said they believe the military or the Philippine National Police (PNP) could have been behind the apparent attempt to kill Ascutia.

Caballero said Ascutia has been receiving death threats. They also condemned the shooting incident. They will continue with their protest to show their disgust over the incident. – reports from Jose Carretero, ABS-CBN Bicol; Jorge Cariño, ABS-CBN News; ABS-CBN News Channel