DOTr voids taxi firm’s operation at Naia over alleged fare rip off

FILE PHOTO: DOTr Secretary Jaime Bautista. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has canceled a taxi company’s permit to operate at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) over alleged excessive charges to passengers.

Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said Friday that they have identified the taxi driver in a viral video showing a purported fraudulent scheme ripping off passengers.

“Nakita na namin kung sino ‘yung taxi driver, kasi marami na tayong CCTV sa airport, and na-identify na natin kung sino ‘yung operator,” Bautista told reporters in a chance interview at Naia.

(We have identified the taxi driver because we already have many CCTVs at the airport, and we have already identified who the operator is.)

“We identified the operator and their franchise [to operate] in the airport has been canceled,” he also said in Filipino during an ambush interview at North Port Passenger Terminal.

Bautista conducted an inspection at Naia on Friday morning and checked the North Port Passenger Terminal on Friday afternoon as part of the government’s effort to make sure that public transport hubs are prepared and safe to accommodate the anticipated influx of holiday travelers.

INQUIRER.net reporters were present during Bautista’s separate interviews on Friday.

The DOTr chief, however, noted that the taxi driver on the viral video could not be located at the moment.

“Ang balita namin ‘yung driver ay nawawala na o baka bumalik na sa probinsya,” he told reporters at the Naia.

(Our information is that the driver is missing or may have returned to the province.)

Bautista nevertheless ordered the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to initiate a probe into the reported fraudulent scheme and file the appropriate charges against people involved.

The viral video showed a man sitting beside the taxi driver, who presented a laminated card indicating that transport fares going to Naia Terminal 1, Terminal 2, Terminal 3, and Terminal 4 cost P11,500, P12,000, P13,500, and P10,300, respectively. The rates were supposedly based on an “airport-accredited regular taxi service meter rate.” The laminated card indicating the purported cab meter rates even bears the alleged logo of the Department of Tourism.

The LTFRB previously said they would check the authenticity of the video.