Driver on body-shaming issue is sorry but claims his image was also ruined

Screengrab from the viral TikTok video posted by Joysh Gutierrez on June 8, 2024 where the jeepney driver allegedly asked her to get out of the vehicle because of her weight.

MANILA, Philippines — The driver and his live-in partner accused of body-shaming a passenger in a viral TikTok video apologized to the latter on Wednesday.

In a video posted on June 8, complainant Joysh Gutierrez complained that the jeepney driver reportedly shouted at her, asking her to get out of the vehicle because of her weight.

READ: LTFRB issues show cause order vs driver who body-shamed passenger

Consequently, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board issued a show cause order against the driver, summoning him to appear for a hearing scheduled on June 14.

“Humihingi kami ng sorry sa kanya kung mali kami,” the driver said over a Radyo 630 interview.

(We are asking for forgiveness if we were wrong.)

“Pasensya na at taos pusong nanghihingi kami ng sorry. Pero paano po ‘yung paninirang puri na halos sira ang pangalan namin sa buong mundo?” his partner asked.

(We apologize sincerely. But what about the defamation that almost ruined our reputation around the world?)

The driver’s partner stressed that Gutierrez also needs to apologize to them.

“Para sa ken po kasi, may pagkakamali rin po siya. Kailangan mag sorry po ‘yun bilang tao po. Paninirang puri po ‘yung ginawa niya. Pwede naman pag-usapan,” she claimed.

(For me, she also made a mistake. As a person, she needs to apologize. What she did was defamation. It could have been settled by talking.)

But the driver and his partner claimed that the incident in the video was not their first encounter with Gutierrez.

“Dati na siyang sumakay sa ‘min sa maliit na jeep. Nagkasagutan na po kami. ‘Yung sa maliit na jeep. Yung unang sagutan namin pinapausog ko siya. Ayaw niyang umusog,” she said.

(She once rode with us in the small jeep. We already had arguments. In that small jeep, during our first argument, I asked her to move, but she refused to do so.)

READ: Bacolod jeepney conductor apologizes for body-shaming passenger

In the viral video, the driver’s partner said that she reminded Gutierrez of their first encounter.

“Sabi ko, ‘Ate, baka mamaya magalit ka na naman po,'” the driver’s partner said.

(I said, “Miss, you might get angry again.”)

According to her, Gutierrez replied with confusion, saying that it was her first time to ride their jeepney.

“Nag hysterical na po siya nung pinapaliwanag ko sa kanya. Nung nag hysterical siya, nagwawala na siya. Wala siyang video nun,” she said.

(She became hysterical when I was explaining things to her. When she became hysterical, she was out of control. There was no video of that.)

She stressed that Gutierrez even cursed the driver and mocked his source of livelihood.

“‘Yan lang ang trabaho nyo, driver, eh ganyan pa ‘yung ugali nyo’,” she said, supposedly quoting Gutierrez’ words.

(“You only work as a driver yet your attitude is like that.”)

The driver and his partner said they will comply with the show cause order and attend the hearing together with their operator, Double A Transport Corporation.

INQUIRER.net has sought Gutierrez’ comment through her social media account but she has yet to give a response as of posting time.