Airport police on Tuesday arrested a taxi driver for allegedly robbing a woman after she brought her husband, an overseas Filipino worker (OFW), to the airport.

Taxi driver Daniel Sallan was cornered by airport police outside Terminal 1 of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) after Jema Amoroso accused him of robbing her and her child.

“Nagtanong siya [kung] sino ang hinatid namin, sabi asawa ko seaman. Bigla niyang sinabi na, ‘Eh di mayroon siyang iniwan sa iyong pera niyan.’ Sabi ko, ‘Wala po, pang-allowance lang namin iyon,’” Amoroso said.

Sallan robbed them of P10,000 at gunpoint near Baclaran, Amoroso said.

“Hinawakan ang shoulder bag ko, tapos bigla niyang sinabi na ‘Ibigay mo lahat ng pera mo kundi may mangyayari sa inyong dalawang mag-ina,’” she said.

Sallan left her and her child at the side of the road after the robbery,

Amoroso said, but she was able to take note of his plate number of TYS197.

Amoroso was able to report the incident with the help of her husband Jayson, whose flight to Turkey was cancelled.

According to Senior Police Officer 2 Jesus Ducusin of the Airport Police Department, Sallan had denied any role in the crime. However, he was positively identified by the victims.

“Hindi po totoo iyon. Kung nangholdap ako, bakit pa ako babalik doon,” Sallan said.

Messages retrieved from the suspect’s phone hinted that he may have stolen the victims’ money because of a drug habit.

“Sinabi niya sa text na ‘Iiskor tayo mamaya, titira tayo halagang P200,’” Mr. Amoroso said.

Sallan’s vehicle was impounded by law enforcers, who were getting in touch with the operator of his taxi service, as of this writing.

Sallan faces charges of robbery with violence, and resistance and disobedience to a person in authority.

The airport police warned passengers against flagging down taxis at the departure area of NAIA Terminal 1, as the vehicles are not monitored by airport personnel.