LTO suspends for 90 days license of TNVS driver who allegedly tried to stab passengers

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has suspended for 90 days the driver’s license of a Transportation Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) driver who allegedly attempted to stab passengers, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) said.

“Sinuspinde ng LTO ng 90 araw ang lisensya ng driver ng TNVS na inDrive na nakuhanan ng video ng pasahero na sapilitang nitong pinababa at tinangka umanong saksakin,” the DOTr said in a statement issued Wednesday.

(The LTO has suspended for 90 days the license of the TNVS driver of inDrive who was caught on video forcing passengers to get off the vehicle and allegedly attempting to stab them.)

The LTO also summoned the TNVS driver and the vehicle’s registered owner to explain the incident. They were ordered to appear before the LTO on East Avenue, Quezon City on Monday, July 21.

The involved vehicle was also placed under alarm. 

Transportation Secretary Vince Dizon warned TNVS drivers that there are penalties for assaulting and intimidating passengers.

According to the DOTr, the 90-day suspension of the TNVS driver’s license is in response to the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure the safety of passengers in public transportation.

According to Mark Salazar’s Wednesday report on “24 Oras,” the driver had a heated argument with his passengers after they were dropped off at the wrong location in Dela Reina Street in Binondo, Manila.

Based on the CCTV footage of Barangay 293, the passengers were seen getting off the vehicle even if the vehicle was not properly parked.

The CCTV also caught the driver getting off the vehicle and handing the change, which was also indicated on the female passenger’s barangay blotter.

They continued their argument, and the driver took a knife from his vehicle and attempted to stab the male passenger, but the female passenger pushed him away.

The driver fled after some people stopped him from attacking the victims.

The show cause order was sent to InDrive.

“Yun ang nakakalungkot kasi (It’s saddening because) we have been trying to contact the driver since we learned about the incident kaso hindi siya sumasagot (but he is not replying),” said John Louie Balagot, InDrive country government relations manager.

Dizon said he has given authority to the LTO and the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to automatically take action when similar incidents occur.

He also reminded the ride-hailing apps to take responsibility for their drivers’ wrongdoings.

InDrive has banned the said driver since it was clear that he refuses to cooperate with the investigation.

“Vinerify muna namin yung ride tiningnan namin kung nagkaroon ng booking sa platform namin sa mga oras na iyon using the name of the passenger and the driver and the plate number tapos nakita namin na totoo naman ang nasabi ng pasahero na hindi siya nadrop off sa tamang lokasyon,” Balagot said.

(Upon checking if such a booking was made, we verified that the driver did not drop the passengers off at the right location.)

The investigation also showed that the driver is under other ride-hailing apps. The other companies were notified to remove the driver, who is still being sought, from their system. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/KG/BAP, GMA Integrated News