(Bloomberg) -- Philippine regulators are investigating the alleged robbery and sexual assault of a Vietnamese woman who booked a car ride via Grab Holdings Ltd.
The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board said the nation’s top ride-hailing app may be suspended for at least 30 days if it’s found negligent. Grab has been given five days to explain, the agency said in a statement Wednesday.
Grab said it will cooperate in the probe.
A Vietnamese woman on Sept. 5 took a Grab ride in the Philippine capital and was surprised when the driver allowed another passenger to board the vehicle, ABS-CBN News reported. The passenger took her cash worth 35,000 pesos ($624) and mobile phone before raping her inside the car, the report said. The police have arrested the driver in neighboring Laguna province, according to the report.
Grab’s Philippine unit, in a statement on Thursday, said it will work closely with the police and the transportation agency to determine further steps to ensure passenger safety. The driver involved in the case has been banned from the Grab platform, it said, adding that it has “a strict zero-tolerance policy towards any form of misconduct” on its platform.
“We urge the riding public to exercise caution when using ride-hailing apps,” LTFRB Chairman Teofilo Guadiz said. “Always verify the driver’s identity, share your trip details with a trusted person, and stay alert throughout the journey to ensure your safety.”
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