Bill penalizing rock throwing at vehicles hurdles House panel

THROWING rocks at vehicles may soon land you in jail.

The House of Representatives justice committee has approved a bill penalizing the act of throwing hard objects at a motor vehicle, whether in motion or not, as long as it damages the vehicle or worse, kills or hurts the passengers.

The panel chaired by Iloilo Rep. Niel Tupas Jr. approved House Bill 4865, principally authored by Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo C. Fariñas.

If the act of hitting a vehicle with hard objects leads to death, the violator will be penalized with life imprisonment and a P100,000 fine on top of civil liabilities, the bill said.

If the act results in the passengers getting hurt, the violator may be imprisoned for five years and penalized with P15,000 on top of civil liabilities for medical expenses and rehabilitation.

If the act only damages the vehicle, the violator may be imprisoned for a year and pay a P10,000 fine in addition to the costs of repair of the vehicle.

Fariñas, the author of the bill, said the measure seeks to curb the act of hitting vehicles with stones, rocks, bricks, bottles, pieces of wood, particularly along the public transport roads.

Fariñas said under the current law or Revised Penal Code, the act falls under the crime of malicious mischief under Article 327, which imposes a light penalty.

“Worst, offenders go scot-free and end up making this hazardous act a habitual ‘past-time’… In the process, accidents result, putting the lives and limbs of passengers in danger and damaging the vehicle itself. This practice has to be abated,” Fariñas said.