Quiapo road rage suspect presented to media; case dubbed ‘solved’
PNP chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa presents to the media Vhon Martin Tanto, the suspect in the Quiapo road rage shooting at the Manila Police District headquarters. KRISTINE FELISSE MANGUNAY/PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER
Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Saturday presented to the media Vhon Martin Tanto, the suspect in the road rage shooting in Quiapo, Manila which resulted in the death of a bicycle rider and the injury of an 18-year-old student.
Tanto, a former military reservist, was arrested in Milagros town, Masbate by combined forces of the Philippine Army and local police.
READ: Road rage killer falls in Masbate
From Masbate, he was brought to the Manila Police District (MPD) headquarters, where Dela Rosa, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and MPD Director SSupt. Joel Coronel presented him to the media. Tanto wore a yellow “detainee” shirt, with his black eye still visible.
Dela Rosa highlighted the importance of CCTV (closed circuit television) cameras in communities and the role of the media in the resolution of crimes.
A viral footage of a road rage incident in Quiapo Monday showed a car driver later identified as Tanto getting in a physical altercation with bicycle rider Mark Vincent Garalde. The car driver was seen firing multiple gunshots at Garalde. A bystander was critically injured in the incident.
Dela Rosa said he was going to teach Tanto how to throw a punch and do deep breathing exercises so he can avoid reacting violently to stressful situations.
READ: Bato to teach Quiapo road rage suspect ‘how to throw a punch’
Coronel said that “the case for all intents and purposes of the Philippine National Police is consider solved, but not yet closed without the successful prosecution and conviction of the suspect in the courts.”
From the MPD, Tanto was brought to the crime laboratory for physical and medical examination. He would then be brought to the Department of Justice for his inquest proceedings.
