Ride-sharing firm Grab Philippines said it will assist in posting bail for its female driver-partner who was arrested for allegedly assaulting a police officer whom she claimed harassed her first.
In a statement on Thursday, Grab said it is currently coordinating with the family of Florence Norial, 26, and vowed to provide bail assistance for her immediate release.
"We have received reports regarding one of our driver-partners who was detained after allegedly disrespecting a police officer. The safety and welfare of our driver-partners remain top priority for us at Grab," it said.
Norial was detained on Tuesday at the Ususan Police Station in Taguig City for supposedly assaulting Police Captain Ronal Saquilayan which she admitted she had slapped as self-defense after the cop pushed her and hit her with a car door.
However, a police report stated otherwise and called Norial "unruly" for allegedly hitting Saquilayan's head.
Based on the Facebook post of Mirza Miguel Shahzad, Norial's partner, she said Saquilayan's Ford Ranger was at the pick-up/drop off area of a coffee shop in a mall in Taguig City past 7 p.m., Tuesday, while Norial was behind the cop's vehicle waiting for her passenger.
According to Shahzad, Norial used her headlights and car horn to signal the driver of the Ford Ranger for her to pass through when she noticed that it would not move but she was ignored.
"She has a passenger as of this moment and of course the passenger would not want the booked car service to be delayed. Hence, she went out of her car and knocked on the Ford Ranger's driver's side to ask and request if the driver could move for just a little to that she could have space to go," he narrated.
Shahzad added that Norial was ignored for the second time by Saquilayan which moved her to sought help from the coffee shop's security guard
"Still, the driver of the Ford Ranger didn’t bulge and when she (Norial) knocked on the driver’s side the driver opened the door suddenly and forcefully as to push her and knock her down to the bushes beside the driveway which resulted for her to get bruises in her hands and legs. Then she got up and slapped the said driver of the Ford Ranger for doing that to her," he explained.
The Philippine National Police (PNP) had already ordered an investigation on the matter and against Saquilayan who appeared to be assigned with the Pateros police.
Shahzad said Norial is still detained while waiting for the resolution of the Taguig Prosecutor's Office on the complaints filed against her including alarm and scandal, direct assault, and disobedience of a person in authority.
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