ASSISTANT Secretary Rommel Abesamis of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Friday questioned the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board over the operation of Uber and Grabcars in Metro Manila, following the alleged sexual harassment on her 20-year-old daughter by an Uber driver.
At a news conference in Quezon City, Abesamis, along with former LTFRB board member Ariel Enrile Inton, challenged the operation of many mobile-apps private car services despite the suspension of new applications for transport network vehicle service such as Uber and Grab, under Memorandum Circular No. 2016-008.
“I came forward after my daughter complained of the sexual harassment she experienced while riding an Uber car driven by one Juanito Thursday at 1 p.m.,” he told reporters.
“I would want to teach such drivers a lesson.”
Elvira Medina, national president of the National Center for Commuters Safety and Protection, said it is not safe to ride Uber and Grab cars.
“I was able to get a copy of the contract of Uber.
This was the reason why we’re opposing such operations. The passenger is not protected under the law because the operation of Uber does not have a franchise, or is not covered by an insurance,” she told reporters.
“If you really want to help the commuters, get a franchise. Don’t go out of the fence.”
Abesamis threatened to file criminal charges against the driver with the Quezon City Prosecutor’s Office and an administrative case before the LTFRB for the revocation of the vehicle’s accreditation, and before the LTO for the cancellation of Juanito’s driver’s license.
He said he will file on Monday violations of a Quezon City ordinance on catcalling and other forms of street harassment.
“The Uber operation is even being advertised on billboards along major roads, showing to the public its legitimacy to operate,” Inton said.
According to Abesamis, he called the mobile-app Uber service provider Thursday noon to pick up her daughter from Mindanao Avenue and to take her to Miriam College.
“While inside the Mirage car, the driver started asking her foul questions, offending her womanhood. He asked if my daughter wanted to eat peanuts, and told her to have many children because she was too beautiful (to be liked by men). He even invited her to watch a movie, and asked if he could apply as her family driver so he could see her every day,” Abesamis said.
He said the harassment stopped when her daughter had to get off from the private car.
“I called up the driver, asking him why he was harassing my daughter. He begged off,” he added.
The victim complained to his older brother about her ordeal, prompting the latter to call up the driver.
“But the driver even threatened my son and even cursed him,” he said.
Inton, for his part, asked TNVS operators and drivers to police their own ranks.