BACOLOD City Councilor Dindo Ramos urged the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) to strictly enforce the riding-in-tandem ordinance in the city.

Ramos, chairperson of the City Council committee on transportation, said on Monday, April 29, BTAO should double its effort to implement City Ordinance 832 series of 2017, an ordinance regulating the practice of riding-in-tandem on motorcycles, made it unlawful for any driver and his back rider to ride in tandem on a motorcycle on any given day from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

He said since last week, BTAO already arrested a total of 28 violators and were fined with P300 for the first offense.

“They have apprehensions, but they are not massive operations in the 61 barangays,” he added.

Ramos noted that during the operations, some illegal firearms or weapons were also recovered by policemen from the motorcycle drivers.

“It’s the purpose of the ordinance prevention and solution of the crime. They should conduct massive operations,” Ramos said.

He said there were several unsolved cases in Bacolod City, especially the shooting incidents involving riding-in-tandem suspects, adding it has become very alarming.

Drivers will be fined P300 or imprisoned for three days at the discretion of the court while the back rider will be fined P200 or imprisoned for two days.