By Deighton Acuin and Archie Villaflores

PHOTO: PTV News/PCOO

Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo on Sunday called for the revival of riding-in-tandem ban in a bid to curb criminality across the country.

Panelo made the statement after the launch of Philippine National Police-Tactical Motorcycle Riding Units (PNP-TMRUs) and its secret motorcycle marshals to boost fights against riding-in-tandem crimes.

TMRUs are strategically trained motorcycle-mounted patrollers who can immediately respond to any incident perpetrated by motorcycle-riding suspects while secret marshals in motorcycles are dedicated covert operatives who are involved in the actual monitoring of motorcycle-riding suspects in the validated list.

For Panelo, an anti-riding-in-tandem policies are the only way to curb motorcycle killings.

“Ipagbawal nalang natin yung merong sumasakay sa motorsiklo. Tama lang yung isa lang,” Panelo said.

While acknowledging the importance of parents and children would ride together, Panelo pointed out that sacrifices are needed for ensuring public safety.

“You have to choose between this and that kasi kung hindi bawal yung may kaangkas, e palaging merong ganyan (because if we don’t prevent riding-in-tandem, there will always be shootings) because they can always pretend to be husband and wife, they can always pretend to be husband and son,” he said.

Panelo, meanwhile said there is a need to increase the manpower of police force to prevent riding-in-tandem killings and other related crimes.

He also emphasized how a highly police presence would help decrease crime rates.

“Ang katotohanan po diyan, kulang ang mga pulis natin. I think we have to increase the number of policemen in this country,” the Palace official said.

Currently, there are around 220,000 officers and personnel in the PNP.

The PNP aims to achieve a police-to-population ratio of 1:489 by 2022.


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