Last week’s incident involving taxi driver Bebiano Dapal Jr. reminds us that there are still a lot of bad eggs among public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers..
Dapal got furious when one of his passengers, a one-year-old boy, threw up in his cab. Despite the boy’s aunt cleaning up the mess, Dapal got the bright idea of demanding P2,000 as a fine from her without any legal basis whatsoever.
The female passenger said he gave a sarcastic laugh as they got out of the taxi. Did he enjoy threatening her, the child and her hypertensive mother?
Transport officials called for an investigation and better see it through the end.
If the charge is proven true, Dapal and his operator face serious consequences, not least of which are fines and revocation of franchise.
A taxi driver who demands a P2,000 “fine” from a passenger is simply overcharging.
This is a violation with stiffer penalties under Joint Administrative Order of 2014 by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The increased penalties were directed at abusive drivers. Remember transport groups objected to the JAO saying it would be misused by traffic enforcers to extort money from them?
Well, this certainly wasn’t the case with Dapal, who was boorish and deserves to be taught a lesson in proper conduct.
During the confrontation, Dapal dared the female passenger to raise her complaint to the LTFRB.
He probably through the woman would be too busy taking care of her family to bother pursuing a case.
For her family’s sake and that of thousands of commuters who have to put up with bully tactics of uncouth taxi drivers, we hope she doesn’t let the opportunity to strike a blow for passengers rights.
The LTFRB shouldn’t treat this like an isolated incident either and let things slide.
In October last year, another taxi driver Elmer Jalalon was identified as the boor who groped the leg of his female passenger in the front seat as he d drove at high speed. He ignored the fact that her aunt, two cousins and two helpers were in the back seat. The passengers were terrified that he was high on drugs or just plainly obnoxious. His lewd remarks to the young woman were just as reprehensible.
Why does the riding public put up with this kind of conduct? Why does the Land Transportation Office and LTFRB let them slide?
The complaints against Dapal and Jalalon were backed by photos and detailed accounts.
There are many taxi drivers who honor their trade by returning money and valuables left behind by their passengers, and act with courtesy. Then there are snakes like Dapal and Jalalon who don’t deserve the drivers’ licenses they are issued.