Estrada mulls more bike lanes in Manila after Quiapo road rage killing

Manila Mayor Joseph "Erap" Estrada is mulling the installing more bike lanes in the capital city following the road rage shooting of a cyclist in Quiapo last Monday night.

Estrada said he has discussed the concept of assigning more bike lanes on Manila streets with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and various cycling organizations.

He said that dedicating space to cyclists will encourage the use of bicycles as an alternative mode of transportation, and ultimately reduce the volume of traffic in the narrow streets of the city.

The Manila Police District-Traffic Enforcement Unit (MPD-TEU) welcomed Estrada's suggestion.

Superintendent Olivia Sagaysay, chief of the MPD-TEU,  said that one less car would ease the traffic congestion in the city.

Sagaysay said they are also proposing a no parking policy for Manila employees to discourage them from bringing their cars to work.

The MMDA previously put up two bike lanes in Manila -- from Remedios Circle to M. Adriatico Street and from Rajah Soliman to the US embassy along Roxas Avenue.

Last Monday, gaming assistant Mark Vincent Garalde was shot to death by Army reservist Vhon Tanto after a street altercation in Quiapo.

Tanto was arrested in Masbate on Friday. He has been inquested for murder and frustrated murder.

Case considered solved, not closed

During the presentation of the suspect to media, MPD Director Senior Supt. Joel Coronel said the case is considered solved.

"But of course it's not yet closed without the successful prosecution and conviction of the accused in the court. The suspect has been informed of his constitutional right to remain silent and right to services of counsel and I understand he invoked that right," he said.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who was also present at the presentation of the suspect, started a fundraising drive for the victims by donating seed money.

"Ako po ay naaawa sa mga biktima dito sa krimeng ito kaya I would like to start a fundraising beginning with my own contribution of P20,000. Sana po ay dagdagan pa natin ito sapagkat lalo na yung nasugatan na ulila nang lubos ay dapat nating tulungan," he said.

The Department of Justice set the cases' preliminary investigation on Tuesday next week, August 2. —Jessica Bartolome with Virgil Lopez/ALG/LBG, GMA News