Screengrab from the viral TikTok video posted by Joysh Gutierrez on June 8, 2024 where the jeepney driver allegedly asked her to get out of the vehicle because of her weight.
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The driver and his live-in partner accused of body-shaming a passenger in a viral TikTok video apologized to the latter on Wednesday.
In a video posted on June 8, complainant Joysh Gutierrez complained that the jeepney driver reportedly shouted at her, asking her to get out of the vehicle because of her weight.
READ: LTFRB issues show cause order vs driver who body-shamed passenger
Consequently, the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board issued a show cause order against the driver, summoning him to appear for a hearing scheduled on June 14.
鈥淗umihingi kami ng sorry sa kanya kung mali kami,鈥� the driver said over a Radyo 630 interview.
(We are asking for forgiveness if we were wrong.)
鈥淧asensya na at taos pusong nanghihingi kami ng sorry. Pero paano po 鈥榶ung paninirang puri na halos sira ang pangalan namin sa buong mundo?鈥� his partner asked.
(We apologize sincerely. But what about the defamation that almost ruined our reputation around the world?)
The聽driver鈥檚 partner stressed that Gutierrez also needs to apologize to them.
鈥淧ara sa ken po kasi, may pagkakamali rin po siya. Kailangan mag sorry po 鈥榶un bilang tao po. Paninirang puri po 鈥榶ung ginawa niya. Pwede naman pag-usapan,鈥� she claimed.
(For me, she also made a mistake. As a person, she needs to apologize. What she did was defamation. It could have been settled by talking.)
But the driver and his partner claimed that the incident in the video was not their first encounter with Gutierrez.
鈥淒ati na siyang sumakay sa 鈥榤in sa maliit na jeep. Nagkasagutan na po kami. 鈥榊ung sa maliit na jeep. Yung unang sagutan namin pinapausog ko siya. Ayaw niyang umusog,鈥� she said.
(She once rode with us in the small jeep. We already had arguments. In that small jeep, during our first argument, I asked her to move, but she refused to do so.)
READ: Bacolod jeepney conductor apologizes for body-shaming passenger
In the viral video, the driver鈥檚 partner said that she reminded Gutierrez of their first encounter.
鈥淪abi ko, 鈥楢te, baka mamaya magalit ka na naman po,'鈥� the driver鈥檚 partner said.
(I said, 鈥淢iss, you might get angry again.鈥�)
According to her, Gutierrez replied with confusion, saying that it was her first time to ride their jeepney.
鈥淣ag hysterical na po siya nung pinapaliwanag ko sa kanya. Nung nag hysterical siya, nagwawala na siya. Wala siyang video nun,鈥� she said.
(She became hysterical when I was explaining things to her. When she became hysterical, she was out of control. There was no video of that.)
She stressed that Gutierrez even cursed the driver and mocked his source of livelihood.
鈥溾�榊an lang ang trabaho nyo, driver, eh ganyan pa 鈥榶ung ugali nyo鈥�,鈥� she said, supposedly quoting Gutierrez鈥� words.
(鈥淵ou only work as a driver yet your attitude is like that.鈥�)
The driver and his partner said they will comply with the show cause order and attend the hearing together with their operator, Double A Transport Corporation.
黑料社 has sought Gutierrez鈥� comment through her social media account but she has yet to give a response as of posting time.