THE Lawyers for Commuters’ Safety and Protection commends the swift and decisive action of the Department of Transportation, under the leadership of Secretary Vince Dizon, in addressing the long-standing issue of alleged corruption involving personnel from the Airport Police Department of the Manila International Airport Authority.
This is in connection with the recent case involving a viral taxi driver who reportedly overcharged a passenger PHP 1,260 for a trip from NAIA Terminal 2 to Terminal 3. On June 19, 2025, the said driver appeared before the Land Transportation Office to answer for his possible violations. During the hearing, he disclosed the existence of a pervasive “system” at the airport taxi lane, where drivers are allegedly required to remit 40% of their fare to certain members of the Airport Police Department. Failure to comply reportedly results in the issuance of traffic violation tickets.
These disturbing revelations suggest that taxi drivers are being forced to overcharge passengers to offset the illicit demands of corrupt airport personnel. Secretary Dizon has since pledged to thoroughly investigate the matter and extend protection to the driver in question.
This courageous disclosure may finally pave the way to ending the persistent problem of airport taxi overcharging. The LCSP believes that the DOTr’s quick intervention and commitment to protect whistleblowers will result in three significant outcomes:
1. It will help clear the names of honest taxi drivers who were left with no option but to overcharge due to coercion by corrupt airport personnel;
2. It opens the door to a full investigation and the eventual accountability of the airport police officers involved—offering a real solution to a problem that has plagued commuters for decades;
3. Most importantly, it will directly benefit the commuting public, ensuring that airport taxis can once again be trusted to charge fair and lawful rates.
We express our full support for the ongoing investigation and urge authorities to bring the full weight of the law upon those found responsible. Commuters deserve no less than a safe, fair, and transparent transportation system.
Atty. Albert N. Sadili
Spokesperson – Lawyers for Commuters’ Safety and Protection (LCSP)
Contact: 0966-085-9816(Viber and mobile)
