Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Assistant Secretary Vigor Mendoza II has ordered a 90-day preventive suspension on the driver’s license of a taxi driver who went viral after charging a foreign tourist with P10,000 at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
Mendoza said a Show Cause Order (SCO) was also issued against taxi driver Arnel Acle, compelling him to explain why no sanction would be imposed for violations of at least three provisions of the Joint Administrative Order 2014-01 for overcharging passengers, discourteous and arrogant to passengers and violation of the franchise.
Acle was also asked to explain why he should not be sactioned for violating the provision of the Republic Act 4136, or the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, on improper person to operate a motor vehicle which has a penalty of driver’s license cancellation.
“Under the guidance of Department of Transportation Secretary Jaime J. Bautista, we are now coordinating with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board on the sanctions that may be imposed on the operator of the taxi,” said Mendoza.
Bautista earlier disclosed that the entire fleet of the taxi company that owns the cab will no longer be allowed to operate at the NAIA.
The incident, which went viral in the social media, was a clear violation of the law, according to Mendoza.
He said the investigation they conducted led to the identification of the taxi through a CCTV and later resulted in the identification of the driver.
The taxi was seen in parking area of the taxi company in Valenzuela City and based on the statement of the operator after the video went viral, Acle told them that he would go on vacation in his province.
Acle, however, did not report for work since he last appeared to remit his earnings to the taxi owner on Dec. 19 and is believed to have gone into hiding.
“We are now coordinating with the Philippine National Police and our local offices to locate this man. We will not allow what he did to go unpunished because this brought embarrassment to our country and to the Filipino people,” said Mendoza.
“The preventive suspension we issued on the driver’s license of Mr. Acle is our way of sending a strong message to these errant drivers that we will do everything in our power to make them responsible for any illegal activities,” he added.