The Marikina-Infanta Highway or Marilaque (Marikina-Rizal-Laguna-Quezon) Highway in Rizal is a favorite road not only of motorcyclists, but also cyclists, car aficionados and other tourists alike. After all, it offers picturesque views, a cool mountain breeze and is just a stone's throw away from the busy streets of Metro Manila. Because of the smooth winding roads along this road, it has also become a favorite training ground for motorcycle riders who want to hone their cornering skills. Unfortunately, it sometimes ends in tragedy.
Just this weekend, a motorcyclist crashed into a cyclist, who was on his merry way to enjoy the rolling hills of the Sierra Madre mountains, which Marilaque passes through.
Based on the investigation, the motorcycle rider, who was riding a Yamaha SZ 150, ran an errand for his employer and decided to have a quick side trip to Marilaque, without his employer's permission. It was his first time, and as luck would have it, he met an accident with a cyclist.
Perhaps, what stirred the emotions of netizens is that, of all the things he could have hit, it was a bicycle priced at half a million pesos. You know some Pinoys. They would rather ask for “how much” rather than “are they ok”.
The son of the cyclist posted on his social media page that, instead of filing charges against the motorcycle rider, who's working as a part-time janitor to support his studies, they as a family have decided to go easy on him instead and give him the chance to own up to his actions.
“We would have wanted for charges to be filed against him first before we enter into an amicable settlement. But if we did file charges, he would have to be detained. And if he were detained, he would not be able to attend classes and report for work until he posts bail,” posted Chad Rosales, the son of the cyclist.
He further added that, should the young man stay behind bars, his family may be unable to post bail for him and he would end up losing his chance to continue college, and better his future.
“We were not sure if he or any of his friends or relative (in Samar) has the financial capacity to post bail. If he couldn't post bail, he would be detained indefinitely, dropped from his classes, and terminated from work for AWOL. This means that on top of his civil/criminal liabilities, he would lose his opportunity to get his life together, finish school, and be a responsible citizen. We couldn't allow it to happen.”
The victim's family and the motorcycle rider reached an amicable settlement and are now both recovering from their injuries.
We're glad that this case has at least reached a resolution. It's not illegal to enjoy beautiful country roads like Marilaque, but do so with caution. You'll never know whose life you could affect. And most of all, think about coming back home safely.
