Grab Philippines has issued an official statement regarding the sexual harassment allegation of a female college student against one of their driver-partners, asserting that no concrete evidence was found to support the claim of the latter.
On Monday, the ride-hailing taxi app cleared the accused driver of sexual harassment upon the completion of its investigation into the viral complaint. According to the complainant, the driver engaged in a public act of lasciviousness while the passenger was aboard the vehicle.
However, after a comprehensive review of the app’s Audio Protect recording from the said trip, Grab stated that no concrete evidence that indicates any malicious intent from the driver was found.
“After a comprehensive review of the Audio Protect recording from the trip, the driver-partner’s profile, and performance history, we found no conclusive evidence to support the allegations or indicate any malicious intent,” Grab said in a statement.
According to Grab, they have met with the passenger’s family, including the driver-partner separately to share the findings of their investigation. During their discussions, they listened to both parties' concerns and clarified the issue at hand. Moreover, Grab mentioned that both the passenger and driver-partner were attentive and showed a willingness to engage constructively in resolving the matter.
“In light of these findings, the driver-partner’s account has been reactivated. Furthermore, he will be compensated for the earnings lost during the suspension period, in accordance with our standard operating procedure. We understand the challenges faced by both passengers and driver-partners in such situations and remain committed to ensuring fairness and understanding,” Grab said.
“At Grab, we take all concerns and allegations with utmost seriousness. Incidents like this remind us of the responsibility we have to ensure safety, build trust, and create a respectful environment for all our users,” they added.
As part of their ongoing efforts, Grab assured that they will take the following actions:
- Continuously improve their safety features and reporting mechanisms to ensure swift and thorough resolutions; and
- Work closely with passengers, driver-partners, and law enforcement to uphold the highest standards of safety, respect, and accountability
The ride-hailing app also encouraged both passengers and driver-partners to ulitize their in-app reporting tools and Help Center to voice their concerns promptly. Grab said that the mechanisms are designed to ensure that all issues are addressed fairly and transparently in a swift manner.
“Grab Philippines remains dedicated to fostering a platform where both passengers and drive-partners feel valued, respected, and safe,” they ended.
Last week, a Grab driver was accused of sexually harassing a student and her sister while inside the former’s vehicle. The driver immediately denied the accusation, stating that he had health issues.
