The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has flagged a taxicab and placed it under alarm after its driver charged a female passenger P5,500 for a brief trip between Terminals 1 and 2 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on Thursday, June 19.
The issuance of the show cause order against the registered owner and the driver of the taxi came a few days after Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon ordered the revocation of the driver’s license and the franchise of a taxi due to overcharging at the NAIA.
In that earlier incident, which involved the same route, the taxi driver charged his passenger with P1,300. The video of the passenger went viral on social media.
In the latest case, based on the passenger’s complaint, LTO chief, Assistant Secretary Vigor D. Mendoza II said the taxi driver charged the female commuter with P5,500 for the short ride on June 19.
“Lumalabas na mas malupit pa ito dun sa nag-viral na taxi driver na naningil ng P1,300 mula NAIA Terminal 1 hanggang NAIA Terminal 2,” said Mendoza.
He vowed that appropriate sanctions will be imposed, beginning with the immediate surrender of the driver’s license immediately.
In the show cause order signed by LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division chief Renante Melitante, both the owner of the taxi and the driver were directed to appear before the LTO Central Office in Quezon City on June 27 and submit a written explanation.
The driver now faces an administrative case for being an Improper Person to Operate a Motor Vehicle under Sectiion 27 of Republic Act No. 4136, which carries the maximum penalty of license revocation.
“Meanwhile, the above-mentioned taxi is placed under alarm, preventing any and all transactions while under investigation. It is also directed that the driver’s license of the said unidentified driver be surrendered immediately on or before the scheduled hearing,” the SCO read.
“Failure to appear and submit the written comment/explanation as required shall be construed by this Office as a waiver of your rights to be heard, and the case shall be decided based on the evidence at hand,” it added. (Aaron Recuenco)
