Female Grab driver allegedly harassed by cop arrested; police say she was unruly

A female Grab driver was arrested after she had asked a policeman to move his vehicle that was supposedly blocking a pick-up area in a commercial establishment in Taguig City.

A police report, meanwhile, said the driver, Florence Norial, was arrested after she assaulted the policeman by hitting him on the head. It also said Norial was "unruly."

In a Facebook post, Mirza Miguel Shahzad, Norial's boyfriend, narrated that a Ford Ranger was at the pick-up/drop-off area of a coffeeshop past 7 p.m. of Tuesday. He said Norial's car was behind the Ford Ranger waiting for her passenger.

Shahzad said Norial had used her headlights and car horn when she noticed that the driver of the Ford Ranger was not moving in order for her to pass through.

"The driver of the Ford Ranger ignored her, she has a Grab passenger as of this moment and of course the passenger would not want the booked car service to be delayed," Shahzad said.

"Hence, she went out of her car and knocked on the Ford Ranger’s driver’s side to ask and request if the driver could move the ford ranger for just a little to that she could have space to go," he added.

Shahzad said the driver of the Ford Ranger continued to ignore Norial. He added that the Grab driver even asked for assistance from the mall's security guard.

Shahzad further said Norial knocked on the driver's side, prompting the driver, who identified himself as a cop, to open the vehicle's door and push her.

"The driver of the Ford Ranger didn’t bulge and when she knocked on the driver’s side the driver opened the door suddenly and forcefully as to push her and knock her down to the bushes beside the driveway which resulted for her to get bruises in her hands and legs. Then she got up and slapped the said driver of the ford ranger for doing that to her," Shahzad said.

The cop, who was reportedly not wearing his uniform, arrested Norial without even reading the Miranda Rights, according to Shahzad.

"He then forced her to the walls outside of Starbucks to cuff her as he asked his daughter (who was inside the Ford Ranger) to get his hand cuffs inside the said vehicle," he said.

"A lot of people saw this happen, and when she was asking him to not hurt her and talk to her in a calm manner, he still continued forcing himself to cuff her. Then a civilian asked that he stop it and just lock her inside of Starbucks instead of hurting her outside which gave her space to call for help," he added.

Police side

A police report from the Southern Police District stated that Norial, 26, was arrested for alarm and scandal, direct assault and alleged violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code.

The report stated that Police Captain Ronald Saquilayan was at the driveway area of a coffee shop waiting for his daughter when Norial appeared and confronted the cop.

She was also continuously knocking at the policeman's car door, authorities said.

Police claimed that Norial hit Saquilayan on his head, which prompted the latter to arrest her. They added that Norial became unruly and tried to resist arrest.

In a separate Facebook post, Norial admitted that she had hit the cop as an act of self-defense.

"Nag-pick up ako pasahero sa Starbucks, ngayon kahit anong pakiusap ko sa sundalo na nasa harap ay ayaw umalis. Naka-20 minutes na yata kami naghihintay ng pasahero. Nakiusap na din security guard at manager ng SB pero ayaw umalis hanggang sa itinulak ako ng sundalo gamit 'yung car door niya at nasubsob ako sa bushes," Norial said.

"Sinampal ko siya sa mukha pabalik gawa ng self defense nang bigla niyang binaligtad na sinaktan ko daw siya kaya ginapos niya ako gamit kamay niya at isinubsob sa glass window ng SB," she added.

In her post, Norial was also asking for assistance from ride-hailing service Grab regarding the incident.

Shahzad said Norial is still detained and that they are still waiting for the resolution on the complaint filed against her. She had undergone inquest on Wednesday morning, he added.

GMA News Online has reached Taguig City police for comment on the matter.  —KBK, GMA News