Japanese lost P200,000 to taxi driver

CEBU, Philippines - A Japanese national lost P200,000 to a taxi driver who allegedly deceived him by accusing him of taking a minor-girl inside a hotel at Fuente Osmeña last Wednesday.

Hironubu Sugaya, 48, of Kotoku, Tokyo, Japan, identified the driver as Leoncio Canoy, driver of Gilgal Taxi bearing plate numbers GXH 892.

PO2 Reynaldo Labating of the Theft and Robbery Section (TRS) said the victim reported the matter to their office last Friday accompanied by one Don Arendain, an administration staff of Japanese Consulate Office of Keppel Center, Cebu Business Park, Cebu City.

Sugaya, Labating said, narrated that he arrived from Japan last Wednesday to meet a Filipina whom he befriended through internet chat.

He rode on the said taxicab which took him to V. Rama Avenue where he and his “chatmate” met.

“The girl reportedly did not like him so he just went back to ride the same taxi,” Labating said in Cebuano.

The taxi driver reportedly took him to Fuente Osmeña where they found a commercial sex worker.

The foreigner took the girl with him and checked in at a nearby hotel. When they checked out, the driver, who was still waiting for the foreigner, accused him of taking a minor with him.

“Giingnan siya na ‘hala ka, minor ra ba tong babaye. Ako pa nimo mag-withdraw ka og kwarta i-settle nato sa amahan para dili ka makiha,” Labating said, quoting the driver who conversed with the foreigner in few English. (The driver told the Japanese that he went out with a minor so he should withdraw money to settle the matter with the girl’s father.)

In his fear, the Japanese national was prompted to withdraw P200,000 from an ATM machine at the Cebu Business Park. The driver took the money saying he would hand it over to the girl’s father.

The following day, the victim reported the matter to the Consulate Office, who then told him that he was victimized by a swindler. From the TRS, they reported the matter to the Tourist Action Center.

“Mugna-mugna ra gyud to sa driver para makwartahan ang Hapon. Kadtong iyang ngan, way siguro iya ra sad tong himo-himo,” Labating said.

Labating said the taxi was flagged down by a policeman late last Friday. However, the driver locked the cab and sped away. He is now being hunted down.

Labating said they have already tasked the City Traffic Operations Management (CITOM) to locate the taxi unit’s garage.

The police officer further said that the victim might not file charges anymore because he is set to fly back to Japan tomorrow, Monday. (FREEMAN)