In Cebu, angry cabbie confronts passengers

CEBU CITY, Philippines—Resistance to the newly imposed P10 rollback in flag-down rate for taxis took a violent turn here on Monday, when a commuting couple who asked for the reduction was thrown two P5 coins by an irate driver and later threatened with a knife.

Dave Say Horca, 26, and his wife, both call center agents, filed a complaint in the Land Transportation Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB) regional office against the driver of an SD taxi with body No. 0112.

They were told by the acting regional director, Reynaldo Elnar, to file a separate complaint of grave threat against the driver as the agency could go after the driver and the operator for franchise violations, such as refusal to give change to passengers and overcharging.

Emil Membrillas, LTFRB assistant information officer, identified the taxi driver as Joel Ramos and the operator as Doncillo Sinforiano, who would both be summoned to the agency’s office.

Horca said he and his wife boarded the SD taxi at 9:05 p.m. on Monday from their house and were headed for their workplace at Cebu IT Park in Barangay Lahug. The taxi fare meter read P78 when they reached the place.

They gave the driver P100 but were given a change of only P22. When they asked for P10 more because of the reduced flag-down rate, which took effect that day, the driver got mad and told them he didn’t know about the rollback, Horca said.

The driver then threw the P5 coins at the couple, who were sitting in the back.

Horca said that when his wife asked the driver to chill, the latter pointed a knife at them.

“My wife was shaking. The driver told us: ‘You want to fight me? Are you angry?’” he said.

Horca said he immediately opened the door, grabbed his wife and rushed out of the cab. The driver also got off the vehicle, this time without the knife, and chased the couple while calling them names, he said.

They entered the gate of IT Park i3 building and took out a cell phone to take a photo of their pursuer, Horca said. But the driver noticed it and immediately went back to the cab, which sped off.

Horca took a photo of the taxi and posted it on his FaceBook account with details of their experience.

Elnar appealed to taxi drivers to just comply with the rollback.

Penalty P1,000

Another driver who refused to reduce the fare by P10 ended up paying a penalty of P1,000 by the LTFRB.

Emilio Senining, driver of Zircon taxi, was apologetic when he faced the LTFRB officials after he was summoned to answer the complaint of Virgilio Villanueva on Monday afternoon.

He said the rollback would lessen his take home pay of P500 daily, pointing out that the amount was barely enough to send his two children to school.