BACOLOD City Councilor Dindo Ramos, vice chairman of the City Council committee on police matters, might have a point. “If this ordinance was strictly implemented, it saves many lives and properties,” he said.
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.
Councilor Ramos said there were several unsolved cases in Bacolod City, especially the shooting incidents involving riding-in-tandem suspects, adding it has become very alarming. “If we are enforcing our ordinance, we can solve and reduce the crime incidents.”
But it’s not just riding-in-tandem assassins that our law enforcers have to contend with. Two years ago, the Philippine National Police (PNP) sought the assistance of the Congress for the enactment of a law that would compel motorcycle riders to use half-face helmets as part of proactive measures against riding-in-tandem criminals.
Republic Act 10054 or the Motorcycle Helmet Act of 2009, requires motorcycle riders to wear standard protective motorcycle helmets.
These motorcyclist killers are the most compliant of this law. Most motorcycle riding-in-tandem criminals use below 400cc motorcycles in their criminal trade. In almost all cases, motorcycle riding-in-tandem wear a full-face helmet to conceal their identity whenever they pull off a heist or kill somebody.
Early this year, assassins hit Police Station 6 Deputy Chief Senior Police Officer 4 Oscar Exaltado on his way to work. There were two armed suspects, each riding a motorcycle. Meaning they have their own motorbikes.
Can we ask our local Sangguniang to enact an ordinance requiring a half-faced helmet?
According to the PNP’s Highway Patrol Group, most of the accidents involving motorcycles are due to overspeeding which sometimes causes fatal injuries to the riders.
But if they are within the speed limit, it will not cause that serious injury. “So I don’t see why they need full-face helmet [for 400cc below],” says Chief Supt. Abner Escobal, director of the PNP’s Highway Patrol Group.
(bqsanc@yahoomail.com)