Taxi driver says transgender woman who cried rape made deal for sex

The taxi driver who has been accused of raping a transgender woman in Quezon City has appeared before the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to deny the allegations against him.

According to John Consulta’s report on “24 Oras,” the cabbie said he had become the talk of their community and needed to clear his name.

“Nahihirapan ako sobra. Paglabas ko sa amin, nakikita ako ng mga tao ako pinag-uusapan. Dalawang babae ang anak ko. Kaya nandito ako para linisin ang pangalan ko,” the suspect said.

(It has been difficult. Whenever I leave the house, I can see that the people are talking about me. I am here to clear my name.)

The victim said she took a taxi on Tomas Morato Street after partying  with her friends at a bar in June 2022. Drunk, she passed out after instructing the driver to take her to Caloocan City.

Instead of bringing her to her destination, the suspect allegedly took the victim to a motel on Mindanao Avenue. He reportedly checked in at around 5 a.m. and left after an hour.

The victim woke up at around 2 p.m. naked and her cash taken from her bag. She called up her friends and asked them to bring her home.

The taxi driver said it was the victim who contracted him.

“Kailangan ko lang po kumita eh. Pagarahe na po ako eh. Maliit lang po kinita ko nung araw na yun para may maiuwi sa pamilya ko,” he said.

(I needed the money. My earnings that day were small.)

He also said the victim gave him P500 to check in and that he carried her to the room because she could not walk anymore due to her drunkenness.

The suspect said he left the motel because his operator had been calling.

“Eh hindi po sya magising. Ang ginawa ko po kumuha na lang ako ng pera sa bag nya po na P4,000 pero wala po akong pinakialaman gamit nya, sa cellphone nya. Kasi may pinag usapan nga kami na babayaran nya po ako,” he added.

(She did not wake up so I took P4,000 from her wallet. We had an agreement that she would pay me.)

The NBI asked the suspect if he was willing to undergo a lie detector test, to which he agreed. The victim also said she would undergo the test.

Meanwhile, the victim denied the suspect’s accusations.

“Hindi ako mag iinvest sa sarili ko magpapaganda ng ganito para magbayad…Umiiyak-iyak pa siya. Wag mo lokohin ang sarili mo. Mas iiyak ka pag lumabas talaga ang totoo,” she said.

(Why would I invest in myself if I will pay for it? He was even crying. He would tear up more when the truth came out.) —Sundy Locus/NB, GMA Integrated News