‘Get those cabs on camera’ : House bill filed vs taxi robberies

Amid recurring reports of taxi drivers who allegedly employ various schemes to rob passengers, a House member has filed a bill requiring business establishments with taxi stands to equip them with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and provide passengers with stubs containing information about the cabs they are taking.

Some malls in Metro Manila already have similar security measures in place, but Quezon Rep. Angelina Tan wants them to become standard practice not just in shopping centers but also in hotels, bus terminals, airports and other commercial establishments.

Tan noted a recently reported modus operandi wherein drivers allegedly use air-sprayed chemicals to make passengers dizzy and then exploit their condition to rob them.

The Land Transportation  Franchising and Regulatory Board, she noted, had received several complaints about this scheme, with the passengers’ stories posted on social networking sites.

The congresswoman said it must be mandatory for establishments with taxi stands to install CCTV cameras so that drivers with criminal intentions would think twice about preying on passengers.

The establishments must see to it that the cameras are in good condition and always running during business hours. The management would also be required to save the video recordings for 60 days, according to Tan’s bill.

Tan also proposed that they designate a member of the security personnel who would issue stubs to passengers containing information about the taxi they hired, as well as contact numbers for emergencies and complaints.

A stub must contain the vehicle’s body number and plate number, the date and time the passenger took the cab, the name of the taxi company or operator,  and the emergency numbers of the Land Transportation Office and the police.

She said having these details would enable passengers to report any untoward or threatening incident during the ride and help authorities track down the driver.

“(These) preventive measures will give taxi riders the opportunity to communicate with taxi companies, operators and proper authorities, and file complaints. This bill is one way to make it possible,” Tan said in her explanatory note.

The bill also requires local government units to regularly inspect establishments with taxi stands for compliance.

Owners or officers of noncomplying establishments face fines ranging from P50,000 to P300,000, and may have their business permits revoked.