ILOILO City – A taxi driver may lose his license if it is proven that he indeed took his passenger – a 16-year-old girl – to a motel.
There will be an investigation, said Land Transportation Office (LTO) Region 6 director Roland Ramos.
According to the girl, she boarded the taxi at a mall in Mandurriao district on Oct. 11 at around 3:30 p.m. and asked to be taken to nearby Barangay Sambag in Jaro district
Thirty-year-old driver Roderick Ola, however, took her to Queens Court drive-in hotel in Barangay Bolilao, Mandurriao instead, said the girl.
Ola, a resident of Barangay Agjawan, Dueñas, Iloilo, vehemently denied the allegation.
According to the girl, when the taxi turned right and entered Queens Court she began to panic. When the taxi stopped, she hurriedly got out and sought help from the motel security guard.
The taxi driver was arrested in a follow-up police operation.
While the LTO investigation is yet to commence, Ramos appeared to have made a conclusion already.
“Hindi sya dapat mag-drive kasi delikado ang kanyang pasahero,” said Ramos.
The security camera of the motel would have further bolstered the girl’s complaint; however, policemen following up the case were dismayed to discover that portions of it had been deleted already.
It was unclear as of this writing how the deletion happened, who did it and why, and on whose order.
Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board Region 6 director Richard Osmeña said his office will conduct a parallel probe.
He also urged taxi operators to conduct background checks on their drivers.
“Kilalanin nyo muna ang nag-a-apply maging driver,” said Osmeña./PN
