Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada vowed to continue road clearing operations in the city to prevent a recurrence of the road rage shooting in Quiapo that injured an 18-year-old student.
The victim, Rosell Bondoc, who was hit by a stray bullet is slowly recovering after a successful surgery at Mary Chiles Hospital, Dr. Domingo Reyes disclosed today.
Estrada again directed the Manila Police District (MPD) to capture the gunman, identified as Vhon Martin Tanto, and make him answer for his crime.
As of this writing, police have recovered Tanto’s Hyundai Eon car with conduction sticker MO 3745 in Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya.
“I call on the other witnesses to please come out and help the police authorities. We’re also asking the public’s cooperation for the immediate arrest of the suspect. Any information will be a big help to our law enforcers,” the Manila mayor, who has been closely monitoring the case since Monday, said.
Estrada admitted that traffic congestion and the poor condition of some streets not only in Manila but in the entire metropolis might have contributed to the road rage killing.
Police said the altercation started when Tanto’s car hit the bicycle of one Mark Vincent Garalde on the cramped street of P. Casal in Quiapo.
Reyes said they have removed the bullet that penetrated the lower back of Rosell and damaged her kidney. She will be transferred from the intensive care unit to a recovery room tomorrow.
According to Rosell’s aunt Rowena Dungca, her niece has regained consciousness and can now communicate with them through sign language. Rosell is an orphan and lives with the Dungca family on P. Casal Street in Quiapo, near the scene of the crime.
Dungca said they are worried about Rosell’s studies. The victim is a sophomore Physical Therapy student at the Universidad de Manila (UDM), where she is a city government scholar.
Estrada earlier vowed to provide every help needed to speed up Rosell’s complete recovery. He said he personally knew the victim and in fact recommended her to the city-run university.
Rosell’s grandmother Eugenia Dungca called on the suspect to surrender.