South Korean singer and songwriter Soobin has a rather distasteful experience while in the country after he was charged overprice by a taxi driver in Cebu City recently. The video of the incident has gone viral on social media.
The K-Pop idol who is known as the leader of the boyband Tomorrow X Together, has posted the video on social media.
As shown on the video, the initial price being asked by the driver was P350 but the singer was charged with P500. Along the way, however, the driver was insisting that Soobin will pay P1,000 after claiming that he is using a special fuel.
LTFRB chairman Vigor Mendoza II has sent informed GMA News Online via text message that they are already working to locate the driver, adding that they are going to file criminal charges against both the driver and the operator of the vehicle.
That is aside from franchise violations.
“Pinapahanap ko na ang taxi at ma-suspend ang operations ASAP,” he said.
Mendoza added, “Enough is enough. Kung ayaw nila tumigil, starting today, sasampahan na rin natin ng kasong kriminal for violating the Public Service Act and estafa ‘yung driver at operator. This is on top of the franchise violation. Impound na rin ang sasakyan pending trial.”
The LTFRB head has instructed the Regional Director of LTFRB Region 7 for the identification of the driver.
Ariel Inton of the Lawyers for Commuters Safety and Protection (LCSP) has reminded that rising fuel costs should not be used as reason to overcharge passengers.
Likewise, he warned that such incidents can affect the country’s image, “in a very bad light when it comes to tourism.”
He also raised concerns about whether the driver may have done the same to other passengers.
“Sigurado ba tayo na ‘di niya ginagawa ‘yan sa ibang pasahero niya? Nagkataon lang na nag-viral siya kasi [si Soobin] ang pasahero niya, but may assurance ba tayong ‘di niya ginawa sa iba ‘yan? ‘Pag pinalampas natin ‘yan, gagawin at gagawin niya.”
Source: GMA News Online, Cebu Daily News, Manila Bulletin
