17-07-2025
LTFRB issues show cause order vs inDrive over driver's alleged knife threat on passengers
A show cause order was issued to ride-hailing company inDrive after one of its driver allegedly threatened to stab passengers, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said Thursday.
In a statement, LTFRB chairperson Atty. Teofilo Guadiz III said the show cause order is urging inDrive to explain why its accreditation should not be suspended or cancelled for the alleged violation.
The transport network company has been ordered to file a written answer within 10 days from the receipt of the show cause order.
According to the LTFRB, the respondent will also have to attend the hearing of the case on July 31.
If inDrive fails to comply, the LTFRB said it means the firm has waived its part to be heard and a P5,000 penalty will be imposed against the company.
InDrive was summoned for 'Operating as PUV without Proper Authority from the Board/Failure to Provide Safe Adequate Comfortable and Dependable Public Land Transportation Service,' the LTFRB said.
Guadiz said the LTFRB is set to study possible imposition of more stringent requirements and qualifications for drivers of transport network companies following the 'life-threatening' incident.
'We issued the show-cause order to TNC InDrive and we may require more stringent requirement qualification for drivers of TNC,' Guadiz said.
'We are initiating this action in order to avoid the duplication of such life-threatening incidents. Incidents like brandishing a deadly weapon to your passengers is something that should not be happening and should not be experienced by any passenger riding the public transportation,' he added.
Recently, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) announced the 90-day suspension of the driver's license of a transportation network vehicle service (TNVS) driver who allegedly attempted to stab passengers.
GMA News Online has sought comment from inDrive but the company has yet to provide a statement as of the posting of this story
InDrive country government relations manager John Louie Balagot earlier said the company has been trying to contact the driver.
'Yun ang nakakalungkot kasi (It's saddening because) we have been trying to contact the driver since we learned about the incident kaso hindi siya sumasagot (but he is not replying),' said John Louie Balagot, InDrive country government relations manager.
InDrive has banned the said driver since it was clear that he refuses to cooperate with the investigation.
'Vinerify muna namin yung ride. Tiningnan namin kung nagkaroon ng booking sa platform namin sa mga oras na iyon using the name of the passenger and the driver and the plate number tapos nakita namin na totoo naman ang nasabi ng pasahero na hindi siya na-drop off sa tamang lokasyon,' Balagot said.
(Upon checking if such a booking was made, we verified that the driver did not drop the passengers off at the right location.) — Joviland Rita/RF, GMA Integrated News
