Illegal parking lands cabbie with pending warrant, no license in jail

MANILA — A taxi driver who was cited for illegal parking in Taguig ended up being arrested for a pending warrant and is suspected of being among a group of drivers targeting foreigners in upmarket Bonifacio Global City.

Police at Fort Bonifacio Sub-Station 1 responded to a call from BGC marshals early Sunday morning about taxis illegally parked along 5th Avenue.

Patrolman Raymundo Jr. said the taxi driver could not present a driver's license, and only had a Temporary Operator Permit — a document given to driver's who have had their licenses confiscated. TOPs are temporary licenses that give drivers three days to settle their ticket.

"Nalaman ko po na yung kanyang lisensiya ay ticket lamang po. Yung TOP na yun — yung temporary operator's permit ng [Land Transportation Office] — ay expired na po," he said.

(I found that his license was just a ticket. The TOP had already expired.)

On further verification, police found that Binangonan, Rizal Regional Trial Court Branch 69 had issued a warrant for the driver's arrest for drug possession in 2021.

BGC TAXI SCAM

Raymundo said the taxi driver, who is now in police custody, was also on their watchlist for allegedly preying on drunk foreigners.

"Meron po kasi tayong grupo ng mga taxis na may modus operandi... biktima ay mga foreigners na galing sa mga kasiyahan. Mga lasing, ayun po, gamit ang Google Map, tapos nasa sasakyan yung foreigner.

Ngayon, nagkukunwaring hindi alam o kaya pinapatay yung cellphone... Ayun po, pinapasa sa ibang taxi at yung gamit at mga cellphones ng victim.... tinatangay po noong una niyang sinakyan."

(There is a group of taxi drivers that tagets foreigners coming from bars, those who are drunk. They pretend that they don't know the foreigner's destination and tell them to transfer to another cab. The first taxi drives off with their valuables and mobile phones when they switch cabs.)

The driver, who was imprisoned in 2019 for illegal drugs, denied the allegations.

"Hindi po ako yun, sir. Hindi po ako yun, sir. Sir, di ko po alam yung warrant ko na yun eh, kasi wala naman po dumarating po sa amin."

(That wasn't me, sir. Sir, I don't know anything about that warrant. I didn't receive a copy of anything.)