PNP, MMDA back harsh penalties for violent, raging drivers

The Philippine National Police (PNP) supported a bill that would punish reckless and violent drivers with six months to six years of jail time, on top of a P250,000 fine, arguing that this would be a deterrent against road rage incidents.

According to a Friday report by GMA News’ Ivan Marina on 24 Oras, the Anti-Road Rage Bill defined road rage as any unrestrained aggression between drivers or from a certain driver which usually starts with swerving vehicles.

Likewise, shouting, cursing, instigating a fight, attacking a fellow motorist, reckless driving and other forms of threat would also be considered as road rage.

“Mahalaga riyan ay mapigilan na kaagad natin so anumang mga mapangahas, agresibo, bayolenteng pananalita o kilos ay mahalaga mapigilan na at maisaisip, maisapuso ng ating mga motorista,” said PNP spokesperson Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac.

There have been several high-profile road rage incidents that led to the death of victims.

Three years ago, a certain Mark Vincent Garalde was killed in such an incident in Quiapo, Manila.

According to security camera footage, Garalde was riding a bicycle when he got into a fist-fight with Vhon Tanto, an army reservist.

Tanto was eventually caught by authorities last August, convicted for the murder of Garalde and sentenced to 40 years in jail.

In another well-publicized case, Jason Ivler shot Renato Ebarle to death in a 2009 road rage incident.

There was also a fight between a public utility vehicle driver and a motorist in which the latter attempted to flee the scene despite a Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) enforcer having pulled the motorist over.

Given these incidents, MMDA EDSA Traffic Manager Bong Nebrija said that he too supported the measure.

“Iyong maximum tolerance, minsan, paigsi na ng paigsi eh, dahil sa ginagawa sa amin ng mga motorista. Iyong mga bagay na maiiwasan natin… [sana] we can impose such kind of penalties on them,” Nebrija explained. — Llanesca T. Panti/DVM, GMA News