The Police Regional Office (PRO) in Western Visayas has expressed support for Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo’s call to ban people from riding in tandem on motorcycles.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong, PRO-6 spokesperson, said they see no problem with Panelo’s proposed anti-riding-in-tandem policy.
The PRO-6, according to Malong, is ready to implement the measure once it is enacted into law.
The call was made by Panelo on Sunday, Feb. 7, after the Philippine National Police (PNP) launched its Tactical Motorcycle Riding Units (TMRUs) and secret marshals on motorcycles to strengthen its fight against riding-in tandem criminals.
“Ipagbawal nalang natin yung merong sumasakay sa motorsiklo. Tama lang yung isa lang,” he said.
According to Panelo, couples or parents and their children, who would often sometimes ride together, need to sacrifice to ensure the safety of everyone.
“You have to choose between this and that kasi kung hindi bawal yung may kaangkas, e palaging merong ganyan because they can always pretend to be husband and wife, they can always pretend to be husband and son,” he said.
Meanwhile, Panelo emphasized the importance of police visibility or presence to prevent riding-in-tandem shootings and other crimes.
“Ang katotohanan po diyan, kulang ang mga pulis natin. I think we have to increase the number of policemen in this country,” he said.
With approximately 220,000 police officers and personnel, the country has a police to population ratio of 1:572 (one police for 572 people).IMT
