Lawmaker mulls suit vs Grab

MANILA, Philippines — Puwersa ng Bayaning Atleta party-list group Rep. Jericho Nograles is considering filing an estafa case against transport network company (TNC) Grab for collecting an “illegal” P2 fee per minute of travel time on top of other charges.

Nograles warned the dominant TNC yesterday that any monetary penalty that the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) would impose on it – like a refund or free rides for passengers – should not be passed on to its partner-drivers.

“Make no mistake, the moment that Grab tries to demand the refund from their drivers, I will be the first to file a complaint of large-scale estafa and syndicated estafa against it,” he said.

He claimed that the TNC’s operators, drivers and riders were not aware of the P2 per minute fee.

“I hope that refund for these hidden charges will be ordered soon, and that the drivers are spared from paying them,” he said.

It was Nograles who exposed the P2 travel time fee, which Grab had been collecting on top of its flag down rate of P40 and P10-P14 per kilometer depending on the type of vehicle used.

Last Thursday, the LTFRB decided to suspend the per-minute charge.

More congressmen lauded the board’s decision.

Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano lll said the agency “corrected its mistake swiftly.”

“They should have suspended the fee on Tuesday, when they learned about it. Chairman (Martin) Delgra even expressed surprise that Grab was collecting it, saying the board did not approve it,” he said.

The LTFRB conducted its first hearing on Nograles’ complaint against Grab on Tuesday. The TNC invoked Department Order 2015-11 of the Department of Transportation in imposing the P2 per minute fee.