EDITORIAL - Policeman’s push

A video now going viral shows a policeman on a motorcycle driving up behind a motorcycle rider and then shoving the vehicle, causing the rider to fall to the pavement.

Thankfully, the rider escaped serious injury and walked away.

This incident happened in Pasig City along the northbound lane of C5 Road around 5:30 P.M. last May 12.

Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. has ordered an investigation into the suspect, an unnamed police staff sergeant assigned with the Quezon City Police District’s mobile force. The suspect has already been arrested.

“The PNP reiterates that any personnel found to have violated laws or rules shall be held accountable and subjected to administrative and criminal proceedings,” Nartatez said.

This would have been a typical road rage incident, except for the fact that the offender wore a police uniform.

While there were claims that the camera didn’t show the whole incident, and that the rider allegedly provoked the policeman earlier, that doesn’t excuse the behavior of the policeman.

What do you do when those who are supposed to serve and protect are the ones doing the harming instead?

What gave the policeman the courage to do what he did? Was he banking on the protection his uniform would provide him? Or did he just do the act impulsively after giving in to his momentary rage, uniform be damned.

We shouldn’t treat this incident lightly; it could have been worse. The rider could have been seriously injured or even died as a result of the fall. He could have sustained enough bodily injury hitting the road or been thrown into the opposite lane where a heavier vehicle could have run over and crushed him.

Don’t get us wrong here; policemen are people too, prone to the same emotions each of us have including anger and rage and prone to make the same mistakes we do. But policemen should exercise more control over their emotions and be more circumspect in their actions precisely because of the uniform they wear and the organization they represent.

As with any incident of road rage this should also serve as another example of how surrendering to poor judgment, even for just a moment, can lead to ruin.