Baguio driver to sue Facebook accuser who wrongly identified him

BAGUIO, Philippines – Noel Macalanda Uson, a 31-year-old driver from Aurora Hill said that Tuesday morning, April 9, he opened his Facebook and received messages that said he was the suspect of an attempted killing in a taxi seen on a viral video.

The viral Facebook video showed a man behind a taxi choking and stabbing the driver several times with a serrated knife. 

The dashcam video taken by the taxi driver occurred 30 minutes past midnight of April 4 along Kisad Road.

Uson said he found a FB post by Lasher Grant (an online seller) who posted Uson’s picture and identified him as the suspect. Lasher Grant has since taken down his post.

Uson said that he went to the police and filed in a blotter that he was filing a libel case against Lasher Grant.

The police said that early Thursday last week, Nemesio Jacob Isla Jr. was driving the Ida Catherine taxi with temporary plate number 14043 when someone hailed him in Naguilian Road and asked to be brought to Kisad.

When they were near Crown Legacy Hotel, the passenger choked Isla and then stabbed him several times. Isla tried to defend himself by shouting for help but no one approached.

The passenger alighted and said in Ilocano, “Ay mistake! Sabali (Oh a mistake. He’s different)” and added, “Haan mo bigbigbigen ti rupak, hanka agipulong (Don’t look at me. Don’t tell anyone).”

Isla brought himself to the nearby Baguio General Hospital. It was his brother who uploaded the dashcam video last April 6 on Facebook and it was viewed by almost a million.

Last Wednesday afternoon, Juan Carlo Munar De Peralta, 37, from San Roque Village voluntarily surrendered to the police with his lawyer. A case of frustrated homicide was filed against De Peralta. – Rappler.com