Alyansa bets: Enforce laws strictly, increase police visibility to avoid road rage

ANTIPOLO, Rizal —Several senatorial candidates of the administration’s Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas raised the need for strict law enforcement and increased police visibility to prevent road rage. 

The senatorial bets raised the suggestion after road rage ensued along Marcos Highway in Antipolo City last March 30 where a driver of an SUV shot four persons which led to the death of one motorcycle rider. 

Former Senator Panfilo Lacson said it is high time to urge the Philippine National Police (PNP) to strictly implement the Commission on Elections’ gun ban. 

“Kung mayroong panahon napaka-istrikto na gun control itong panahon ng kampanya. Kasi may COMELEC ban nga. So anong maipapayo? Wala tayong maipapayo kung sira ulo. ‘di ba? Dapat ‘yong PNP na lang ang ating medyo kalampagin na tama ‘yong pagpapa-implimenta,” Lacson, a former PNP chief, said. 

Former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. echoed Lacson’s proposal, adding that the PNP should prevent incidents of road rage by increasing police visibility. 

“Marami na tayong batas dapat talaga strict implementation. Hindi ‘yong nangyari na at saka mag-implement. Dapat bago mangyari nandiyan na ‘yon. Tingnan lahat ng lugar na nagkakagulo o may choke point at mga etcetera. Doon damihan ang tao. Strict implementation,” he said. 

Former Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto III noted that the country already has strict laws on gun control and it is now up to the enforcement of these measures.

“Strict implementation, police visibility palagay ko ‘yan ang isa sa dapat i-highlight… Ang higpit nga dito sa atin kung tutuusin (gun control) but then again, still, it remains to be seemed as that implementasyon ang importante pero pagdating sa gun control mas mahigpit ang Pilipinas na gun laws kaysa sa Amerika,” he said. 

Meanwhile, senatorial bet and ACT CIS partylist Rep. Erwin Tulfo said a bill penalizing road rage is currently pending on second reading in the House of Representatives. 

“Nasa second reading na ‘yon. Penalizing ‘yung mga road rage, kung may na-damage ka usually road rage binabasag ‘yung salamin, pinagsisipa ‘yung kotse, may kulong ‘yon doon sa bill namin. Ngayon, kung may nasaktan… may mga kulong na parang three years to six years. Ngayon, kung may namatay six to twelve. Ngayon, kung talagang grabe ‘yung kuan twenty years ‘yung penalty,” he said. —LDF, GMA Integrated News

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