Senators push for harsher penalties vs armed motorists in fits of rage
By John Victor D. Ordoñez
SENATORS on Tuesday said there should be stricter penalties against motorists who brandish guns in road rage incidents after a viral video showed an ex-cop pulling a gun on a cyclist.
“In aid of legislation, we need to penalize road rage incidents and be stricter about revoking gun licenses of individuals,” Senator Joseph Victor “JV” G. Ejercito told a Senate hearing investigating the road rage incident that happened in Quezon City.
“Gun ownership carries responsibilities, and we need to be stricter about this and make sure people don’t abuse legal loopholes,” Mr. Ejercito added.
A video posted on social media on Aug. 27 showed an angry motorist striking a bicycle rider on the head and pulling a gun on him shortly after.
At the hearing, Wilfredo Gonzales, 63, who was later identified as the aggressor in the video, apologized to the cyclist, Allan Bandiola, for the altercation and claimed he had acted in self-defense and shock when he pulled out his firearm.
“I apologize for that part — for hitting him, for pulling out and pointing [the gun]. I apologize to everyone, not just [to Allan Bandiola], but to all of you. It’s my fault, I was shocked,” Mr. Gonzales said in Filipino, adding that he was just recovering from a surgery and was feeling weak at the time.
Mr. Bandiola told the same hearing that the two had settled their dispute, agreeing to pay for the damages sustained on Mr. Gonzales’ car. “No one forced me… I’ve compromised to settle things because I don’t want any trouble,” he said in Filipino.
Last week, the Supreme Court said in a statement that the motorist in the video, who worked in the office of Associate Justice Ricardo R. Rosario, was fired after news of the incident caught their attention.
On Monday, Party-list Representatives Jocelyn P. Tulfo, Erwin T. Tulfo, and Edvic G. Yap, along with Quezon City Rep. Ralph Wendell P. Tulfo and Benguet Rep. Eric G. Yap, filed a House bill seeking to prosecute suspects in road rage incidents even without the cooperation of victims.
The measure seeks to impose a jail sentence of up to four years imprisonment and a fine of as much as P250,000, if the incident resulted in physical injury.
