LTFRB now looking for taxi driver who attempted to overcharge TXT’s Soobin in Cebu

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said that they are now conducting a probe into the taxi driver who allegedly attempted to overcharge Tomorrow x Together member Soobin during his recent trip to Cebu.

In a message to GMA News Online, LTFRB chairman Atty. Vigor Mendoza II said that they are now looking for the driver involved in the incident.

“Pinapahanap ko na ang taxi at ma-suspend operations ASAP,” he said. 

["I have already ordered the taxi to be located and for its operations to be suspended ASAP."]

According to Mendoza, criminal charges will be filed against the driver and operator of the vehicle, on top of the franchise violation. 

“Enough is enough. Kung ayaw nila tumigil, starting today, sasampahan na rin natin ng kasong kriminal for violating the Public Service Act and estafa 'yung driver at operator. This is on top of the franchise violation. Impound rin ang sasakyan pending trial,” said Mendoza. 

["Enough is enough. If they don’t want to stop, starting today, we will also be filing a criminal case against the driver and operator for violating the Public Service Act and estafa. This is on top of the franchise violation. The vehicle will also be impounded, pending trial."]

The LTFRB's statement came after Soobin shared a travel vlog on Wednesday, which showed a taxi driver attempting to charge him and a friend P1,000 for a short trip from the airport to their hotel.

In the video, the driver told Soobin and his friend that "gas is very expensive." 

Meanwhile, in a separate interview with GMA News Online, former LTFRB spokesperson and Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection (LCSP) founder Atty. Ariel Inton said that the oil crisis should not be used as an excuse to overcharge.

“Sa panahon ng crisis, mas mabigat dapat ang parusa sa mga nagsasamantala sa mga pasahero… Hindi dapat magsamantala ng pasahero, dayuhan man o Pilipino. Mahirap na sabihin na hayaan na lang natin 'yan… On the side of the commuters, hindi maaaring palampasin 'yan kasi ang mga mananakay ang nasasamantalahan,” he shared.

["In times of crisis, penalties should be heavier for those who take advantage of passengers... Passengers should not be taken advantage of, whether they are a foreigner or a Filipino. It is hard to say to just let this pass... On the side of the commuters, this cannot be overlooked because it is the passengers who are being taken advantage of."] 

“There are so many passengers that understand the plight of the drivers. Wag na natin pagsamantalahan. Maaaring maintindihan natin bakit ginawa, pero di naman ito mag-e-exempt sa kanya sa penalty ng violation ng ginawa niya. We can understand them, but still he has to answer for what he did because those are the consequences of his actions na nagsamantala siya sa pasahero,” he added.

["There are so many passengers that understand the plight of the drivers. Let’s not take advantage of them. We might understand why the driver did that, but this does not exempt him from the penalty of the violation that he committed. We can understand them, but still he has to answer for what he did because those are the consequences of his actions of taking advantage of a passenger."] 

Inton noted that such incidents of overcharging and taking advantage of tourists negatively impact the country’s tourism, especially when it goes viral.

"It places the country [in] a very bad light when it comes to tourism,” he said. 

He also questioned whether the taxi driver engages in similar activities when it comes to other passengers. 

“Sigurado ba tayo na 'di niya ginagawa 'yan sa ibang pasahero niya? Nagkataon lang na nag-viral siya kasi [si Soobin] ang pasahero niya, but may assurance ba tayong 'di niya ginawa sa iba 'yan? 'Pag pinalampas natin 'yan, gagawin at gagawin niya," he said.

["Are we sure he does not do this to other passengers? It just so happened that he went viral because [Soobin] was his passenger, but do we have assurance that he does not do this to others? If we let this go, he will do it over and over again."] 

"Mas marami pong pasahero ang mabibiktima. Sana mahuli na agad 'yan. If there is any information about him, I’m pretty sure the LTFRB and the [Land Transportation Office] ay kaagad aaksyon diyan,” he added.

["More passengers will be victimized. I hope he gets caught right away. If there is any information about him, I’m pretty sure the LTFRB and the [Land Transportation Office] would swiftly act on this."] 

Soobin’s experience is not the first incident of a K-pop idol being scammed by a taxi driver in the country.

A similar incident had also occurred in 2022 to Seventeen member Joshua Hong, who shared that he was overcharged P1,000 by a taxi driver in Manila. The LTFRB had condemned the incident, calling it disappointing and embarrassing. —CDC, GMA News