Recently, a road-rage incident between a biker and a car driver merited a committee hearing-in-aid-of legislation in the Philippines’ House of Representatives. I watched the proceeding via YouTube, and was amazed at the intelligent questions of congressmen present in the committee’s panel.

The hearing was prompted by a video posted by a blogger showing this angry car driver pointing his gun at the biker. The car driver was on the bike lane that forced the biker to almost hit the gutter, so the latter expressed his dismay by hitting with his hand the side of the car closest to him. Instead of letting the biker go, the car driver got out of his car and  angrily pointed his cocked gun toward the biker, accusing him (the biker) of deliberately scratching his car. The car driver then hit the biker’s head and when policemen arrived, the two were taken to the police station, presumably to determine who’s at fault because the altercation disrupted traffic.

In the police precinct, the biker learned that the car driver was a retired police officer. In the presence of former co-policemen, the car driver obviously felt the security of being in his turf. The biker ended up signing a document stating that he was at fault, paying Php500 for the “damage” to the car, and that everything was now okay between him and the car driver. The chief of police even held a press conference on behalf of the car driver, which he later regretted and led to his resignation.

The congressional hearing opened secrets hidden to the world by the car driver. Karma is now at work.

First, it was revealed that the car driver retired from the police force in 2016 and was able to get his lump-sum retirement pay, using falsified clearances. He was actually dismissed from the service in 2018, and was being required to return the retirement money he received from the government using falsified documents. This car driver is now facing major case #1.

Second, the three policemen who assisted the car driver and helped force the biker to sign a reconciliatory document and pay 500 pesos to the car driver are now facing charges that may lead to losing their jobs and/or facing jail time. Their chief of police already resigned right after this story came out of the Manila mainstream media outlets.

Third, the car driver who refused to mention his current job when interviewed by a news reporter, was employed by a Supreme Court justice. His employment was immediately terminated when this story hit the presses.

Fourth, the car driver’s house was searched, and four guns were found and later confiscated. His gun licenses will surely be revoked. Corollary to this, his driver’s license was also taken by the Land Transportation Office, and an investigation might also end in the car driver losing his driver’s license.

Today, I am quite sure that this car driver has lost his perceived power and influence. The police even filed new cases against him, for disturbing peace and order mainly. They have apparently waken up from their deep slumber when they tried to protect one of their own.

The biker, however, has to file his case against this man who threatened him with a cocked gun, hit his head, and forced him to sign a document of peaceful settlement. His son is appealing to his dad to come out and not be afraid, because this case will be repeated over and over if culprits like the car driver involved will be let go. The biker is obviously scared not only for his life but that of his family. He said “I hate to think of riding-in-tandem connections of this guy hitting any member of my family in retaliation to my stepping out.”

If the biker won’t have the courage to fight this evil, who will?