A taxi driver was shot dead by a holdupper early yesterday morning while he was cruising along Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Rene Adaguio, said to be in his 40s, of 10 K 1st St., Kamuning, Quezon City, was found dead inside his cab parked at the corner of Ipil and Tayuman Streets  with a lone gunshot wound in the chest inflicted by a cal. .45 firearm, by a patrolling barangay watchman at around 5 a.m.

Manila Police District-Homicide Section chief Senior Inspector Joey de Ocampo said that prior to the discovery of the victim’s body, barangay watchman Elmer Matinac first heard a gunshot and then proceeded to the area where the sound came from.    

There, Matinac found the parked cab and then saw the victim inside, all bloodied and no longer moving.

A verification made by the police with the cab operator, Tackle Transport Service (TXD-383), said the victim had just gotten the taxi along Samson Road in Caloocan City at around 4 a.m.

Police suspect that the holdupper got irked when Matinac could not give any money since he had not gotten any passengers yet, thus he was shot dead.

An investigation is underway to establish the identity of the suspect and motive for the killing.