JV Ejercito seeks probe on viral road rage incident in Quezon City
August 29, 2023
Senator Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito has filed
a resolution seeking to investigate the road rage incident early this month
involving a cyclist and a dismissed police officer, wherein the latter
assaulted and held the former at gunpoint.
In light of numerous reported incidents of
discrimination and harassment faced by cyclists on public roads, Ejercito said
in his Resolution No. 764, he aims to assess and review the effectiveness of
existing laws and regulations in safeguarding and ensuring safe road usage for
all.
“Acts of assaulting an unarmed person and
holding him or her at gunpoint because of a traffic altercation should be
condemned and the person who abuses his or her privilege to own, possess and
carry a firearm should be held accountable,” Ejercito emphasized.
“Roads as a public domain should be shared by
all, cyclists, pedestrians and motorists alike,” he added.
A viral video clip, captured by a passing
vlogger, showed an individual, later identified as Wilfredo Gonzales, stepping
out from a vehicle and forcefully striking the cyclist's helmet with his hand.
He then proceeded to draw a firearm and cock it.
The road rage incident happened near Welcome
Rotonda in Quezon City at 6:00 p.m. last Aug. 8, according to lawyer Raymond
Fortun in a Facebook post.
Ejercito said the culture of impunity will
never be acceptable and its propagation should be prevented and “not given the
slightest chance to succeed or even gain traction in the minds and hearts of
our people.”
“Acts of violence have no place in our
society. Those who choose to inflict injury towards another in shared public
spaces, such as roads and thoroughfares should be held accountable and
answerable to the laws of the land,” he said.
The lawmaker from San Juan believes that it is
imperative to determine the necessity of crafting legislation to prevent road
rage as well as to protect civilians using public roads against violence.
“[It] would ensure that those who are
entrusted to own/ possess and carry firearms are responsible and mentally
stable,” Ejercito said.
“Road safety is not limited to improving
infrastructure but ensuring the safe travel of every person and keeping them
secured from any bodily harm that may emanate from a fellow road user,” he
pointed out.
On Monday, Aug. 28, the Land Transportation
Office preventively suspended the driver's license of Gonzales for 90 days.
Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police revoked his license to own and
possess firearms, firearms registration, and permit to carry firearms outside
residence.
In
another Facebook post on Monday, Fortun, who first shared the video on social
media, said the cyclist will no longer file charges against Gonzales due to
fear for his personal safety and well-being of his family.
