The Land Transportation Office (LTO), under the leadership of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Vince Dizon, has preventively suspended the licenses of 11 taxi and Transport Network Vehicle Service (TNVS) drivers following multiple complaints of overcharging passengers at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).
LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II, said the drivers have been placed under a 90-day license suspension as part of the government’s intensified campaign—directed by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.—to hold abusive public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers accountable.
“We’ve already suspended several erring taxi and TNVS drivers in recent weeks. Some of them might think this is just ningas cogon—but they’re wrong. These 11 drivers are proof that we’re taking sustained action,” said Asec. Mendoza.
“This is a clear directive from Secretary Dizon—not to let up on abusive drivers who exploit passengers. Their actions tarnish the reputation of the many decent and honest taxi and TNVS drivers out there,” he added.
The suspension stemmed from a recent joint operation conducted by the LTO and the Philippine National Police’s Aviation Security Group (PNP-AVSEGROUP) targeting drivers engaged in illegal contracting, passenger snubbing, and overcharging.
According to the initial investigation by the LTO Intelligence and Investigation Division, headed by Chief Renante Melitante, the 11 drivers were found to have charged passengers between ₱200 to ₱700 for short-distance trips, specifically from NAIA Terminal 1 to Terminal 3.
To address this persistent issue, Asec. Mendoza earlier ordered the regular deployment of LTO personnel at NAIA terminals to immediately respond to commuter complaints and deter abusive behavior.
The 11 drivers were served Show Cause Orders (SCOs) and asked to explain why their licenses should not be revoked for being “improper persons” to operate public vehicles.
“We also ordered them to surrender their licenses immediately. Because of their exploitation of passengers, it may be a long time—or never—before they can work as taxi or TNVS drivers again,” said Mendoza.
The license suspensions are separate from the ongoing legal proceedings to be conducted by the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), which will address the franchise status of the vehicles involved.