Reese Barcelon
- Cha Mendoza experienced something unusual the moment she entered this Grab driver’s taxi.
- She said the man pulled out a bottle saying it was a car freshener.
There are a lot of taxi incidents when drivers spray something in their cars which will make their passenger drowsy before passing out. The tactic is often used when a driver intends to perform sexual assault to the passenger or when they wanted to rob them. Presently, cases like this doesn’t happen too often just like how it was back then. But it seems like the horrific drivers are back at it again.
A female netizen named Cha Mendoza shared a Grab incident on her Facebook account.
Read her story below:
“I just want to share this. Hi, Grab PH Grab.
I had this incident today May 17, 2017. I went to Greenhills around 04:38pm para ipacheck phone ko kasi nasira, Grab din nasakyan ko papunta then around 5:55 (see the picture below) kumuha ako ng grab pauwi to 20th Ave. GrabShare kinuha ko kasi mas cheaper and may promo pati di ako nagmamadali so okay lang. Si Kuya ung nasakyan ko, so pag sakay ko nag greet ako sa kanya ng Hi di nya ako pinansin so binigyan ko nalang ng attention ung ice cream na kinakain ko. Habang palabas ng EDSA napansin ko may hinahanap sya sa may compartment nya, so tiningnan ko sya mamaya sinaraduhan nya na ako naman bigla nalang nag phone para icheck kung okay na ba talaga phone ko.”
Mendoza shared that she booked a trip via Grab using GrabShare since it was cheaper and there was an on-going promo. At first, everything seems pretty normal, but when the driver pulled out a bottle, things had started to change.
“Habang nasa edsa napansin ko may hawak sya sa kamay na maliit na bottle naka tapat sa aircon tiningan ko sya sa rear mirror bigla syang tumingin nagka titigan kami for ilang seconds mamaya nag bigay attention na ko sa ginagawa nya kasi ang tagal nyang hawak ung bottle na maliit na kasing liit ng bottle ng eye-mo tumingin ulit ako sa rear mirror nya tumingin din sya mamaya tinago nya na ung hawak nya. Maya maya naka ramdam na ko ng sakit ng ulo at sobrang pagsikip ng dibdib ko. Gusto ko bumaba kaso nasa gitnang lane kami ng EDSA at ang daming sasakyan. So, kinausap ko sya.
Me: Kuya baba ko bintana ah. (di nya ako pinansin at kunwari ako nagdududa sakanya)
**After ilang seconds nagsalita sya.
Grab driver: Car freshener to ah. Mabaho kasi. (in a rude voice)
Me: Sorry kuya sensitive kasi ilong ko sa car freshener at ayoko ng amoy. (palusot ko)
PERO WALA AKONG NAAMOY NA MABAHO PAG SAKAY KO AT NAAMOY CAR FRESHENER SA LOOB SASAKYAN. MEDYO NAWALA UNG SAKIT NG ULO KO AT PAGSIKIP NG DIBDIB KO NUNG NAKA BABA UNG BINTANA UNLIKE NUNG DI KO PA BINABABA PINATAY KO DIN UN AIRCON SA GITNA KASI AVANZA SASAKYAN NYA.
Tumahimik nalang ako after ng pag uusap namin. Gusto ko na talaga bumaba kaso lagi syang nasa gitna ng lane ng EDSA at wala akong lakas ng loob na tumalon at pumara kasi natatakot ako kasi nagiisa lang ako. Wala akong laban dahil babae ako at baka may baril sya or what.”
She observed the driver’s actions, including how he placed the ‘car freshener’ near the aircon – which he defended by saying that the smell inside his vehicle was bad.
Mendoza was alarmed by what he did, so he immediately sent an emergency text to her father, asking him to wait for her at the side of the road and explained what was happening.
“Tinext ko nalang si Papa sa Chikka kasi wala akong load that time sabi ko abangan nya ko sa baba pag malapit na ko (see the picture below). Tiniis ko nalang ung takot at kaba ko hanggang makababa ako sa bahay. Nung malapit na ko bumaba nakita ko na si Papa at Tito Bobby sa baba iniintay ako pag bukas ng pinto ni Papa tinanong nya ako anong nangyare pero umiyak na lang ako sa takot nanginginig ako sa takot then kinausap na sya ni Papa at Tito todo explain sya na car freshener yon pero nung inamoy ni Papa hindi sya amoy car freshener kasi. Pero pinag pipilitan pa din nya yung pinaglalaban nya dahil nga daw mabaho, nagsalita na ko sinabi ko na wala akong naamoy na mabaho nung sumakay kasi kakaligo ko lang non so di ako ung mabaho at walang amoy car freshener nung ginagawa nya un kasi alam ko amoy ng car freshener kasi ayoko ng amoy non.”
Any passenger would indeed doubt what the driver did after pulling out a bottle, considering that she experienced a slight headache and dizziness. However, the man apologized to her, which they responded to by reminding him not to do it again as other passengers would surely doubt him when he does the same.
“Sobrang nakakapag duda talaga si Manong. Pero in the end nag sorry sya sakin at kina papa so sinabihan nalang namin na wag nyang gagawin un ng mag pasahero sya kasi pagdududahan talaga sya dahil madami ng incidents na nangyareng ganun.
And para kay Manong Grab, sana po next time Kuya, wag po ganun. Kung boyfriend ko nga grabe ko pagdudahan ikaw pa kayang ganun ginawa mo. Sobra nyo akong tinakot. Godbless nalang po.
Ang tagal ng gumagamit ng Grab at Uber pero ngayon lang ako naka encounter ng ganito at sobrang natakot ng ganito hanggang ngayon nanginginig pa din ako at medyo masakit ulo ko pero Thank You kay Lord di nyo ko pinabayaan.
To all Grab and kahit Uber users, please be alert and safe always. Pag may ganito kayong na encounter please contact your family or friends. Nakakatakot na ngayong panahon.“
Her fellow Facebook users expressed their relief that nothing worse happen to Mendoza.
To conclude, what Mendoza did was right. She alerted herself and asked his father for help for her own safety. As for the driver, pulling out a small bottle all of a sudden can indicate that he was spraying something in his car aircon. Whatever it may be, it would be wonderful if they would first let the passengers see or know what it was to be relieved.
What do you think is the content of the bottle?
