PNP wants riders of small motorbikes to wear half-faced helmets for easier ID

To prevent riding-in-tandem criminals, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will push for a proposal requiring riders of motorcycles below 400cc (cylinder capacity) to wear half-faced helmets for easier identification.

PNP Highway Patrol Group director Chief Superintendent Arnel Escobal said he has coordinated with the House of Representatives and submitted a proposal for the amendment of the Helmet Act.

“We proposed na lahat ng 400cc below, half-faced helmet lang ang susuutin nila, so makikita ‘yung mukha ng tao, ng driver. So lahat ng 400cc above na motor dapat full-faced na,”  Senior Insp. Jem Delantes, HPG assistant public information officer, said in a press conference Friday.

He said this was because many of those involved in crime incidents with riding-in-tandem suspects used 400cc motorcycles.

“Ang reason naman doon ‘yung 400cc below although they can run high speed na, not that much at saka ang ginagamit ng riding-in-tandem ngayon is usually yung maliiit na motor,” he said.

“So hopefully na ma-consider ang position paper submitted by the HPG,” he added.

He added that those riding big bikes or motorcycles above 400cc would have a hard time maneuvering in side streets.

“I think mahihirapan sila kasi yung 400cc up is a big bike na, when it comes to maneuvering sa iskinita baka mahirapan sila,” he said.

While Congress has yet to amend the law, Delantes said they were coordinating with motorcycle clubs to report to them criminals using motorcycles or vehicles.

He added that they were also closely coordinating with local police forces to prevent crimes involving motorcycle-riding assailants.

“Kasama tayo sa Oplan Sita nila, minsan may checkpoints.  ‘Yung regional highway patrol units natin, they are closely coordinating with local police para maaddress itong riding in tandem,” he said.

PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa earlier said that riding in tandems involved in crimes are their new target after President Rodrigo Duterte removed from them the anti-illegal drug operations. — MDM, GMA News