Tricycle driver says viral video of 'overcharging' was edited

A viral video of a tricycle driver allegedly overcharging an American has drawn flak on social media. The driver says the video did not show the entire story about their discussion about the fare they agreed upon.

According to a "24 Oras" report by Maki Pulido on Friday, the viral video showed the driver initially charged his passenger P1,000 then eventually lowering it to 500, then 250 when the passenger complained about the expensive fare.

After the foreigner handed over his payment, the driver said he didn’t have enough change.

The video has since garnered four million views.

The tricycle driver said it was the tourist who initially offered the P1,000 fare when he was picked up at Soler Street in Binondo, Manila which the driver lowered to 500 as he knew the amount was too much.

They both settled on a fare worth P250 and that he even drove the tourist around several areas in Binondo in search for a food stop before he was dropped off at Plaza Ruiz.

“Naedit po yun talaga. Parang may cut po sa video na ‘yun. Hindi ko po isasakay na wala kaming usapan niyan,” the driver defended.

(It really was edited. There seems to be a cut in that video. I wouldn’t let him ride without an agreement.)

He added that he knew the foreigner was taking a video, but did not know that the haggling was part of the tourist’s content about scams.

“Nasasaktan na po ako dahil nasasaktan na pamilya ko, tapos di na ko makalabas ng bahay. Nahihiya na po ako,” he said.

(I’m hurt because my family got hurt, and I can’t leave the house. I’m ashamed.)

Two barangay chairpersons in Binondo said that they did not receive any report at the police detachment a few steps where the tourist was dropped off.

They assured that the video was an isolated case, and that they were closely monitoring such incidents.

“Pino-promote namin [ang] Binondo para bumalik sigla ng Binondo. Safe talaga po dito [at] talagang isolated [case] lang talaga yan,” said Barangay 287 chairman Herbert Puisieng.

(We are promoting Binondo so that Binondo will return to the way it used to be. It really is safe here [and] this is really just an isolated [case])

GMA Integrated News has reached out to the video uploader, using account name Saygin Lost, for comment. — Jiselle Anne Casucian/BAP, GMA Integrated News