Ejercito suggests command center, scanning system for PNP checkpoints

Senator JV Ejercito on Wednesday suggested that a command center and a scanning system for Philippine National Police (PNP) checkpoints be set up, saying this could more easily apprehend violators and avoid discrimination against motorcycle riders.

During the Senate committee hearing on justice and human rights, Ejercito said creating a command center to be used by the PNP and the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and purchasing scanners for checkpoints would address a lot of problems.

“Halimbawa, mayroong nanakaw na motorsiklo. Itatawag lang sa command center, nakaalerto na agad ‘yun. So I think kailangan natin, pagtulungan natin, we have to set up the command center and also purchase the scanners for all the PNP checkpoints,” he said.

(For example, if there is a stolen motorcycle, they will just call the command center and it will be alerted immediately. So I think we need to work together, we have to set up the command center and also purchase the scanners for all the PNP checkpoints.)

“I think mas maginhawa 'yan sa mga riders, hindi na tayo maiiwan at ititigil ng matagal, i-scan na lang. Ang pulis din napakahirap din na iniisa-isa ang rehistro 'di ba, nakakaduling din 'yun, so it will work both ways. Medyo gagastos lang din tayo but I think it will address a lot of problems sa PNP, sa riders 'yung discrimination I think mawawala,” he added.

(I think that will be more comfortable for the riders, they will not have to be stopped for a long time, just scanned. The police officers will also not have difficulty in checking the registration one by one, so it will work both ways. We will have to spend money but I think it will address a lot of problems in the PNP, and the discrimination among riders will also be addressed.)

Ejercito earlier filed Senate Bill No. 159, which seeks to amend the Republic Act No. 11235 or the "Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act," popularly known as the “Doble Plaka Law.”

It seeks to lower fines and penalties, and proposed replacing the large motorcycle license plates with a radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner system.

“Kaakibat ng hindi makataong discrimination sa mga motorcycle riders ay ang pagpataw ng napakataas na fines at penalties. Halos 10 beses ang taas na penalty na maaring ipataw sa motocycle riders kumpara sa drivers ng four-wheel vehicles. These fines and penalties are somehow too excessive, to the point of being discriminatory to motorcycle riders,” Ejercito said.

(There is also discrimination against motorcycle riders with the imposition of very high fines and penalties almost 10 times the amount levied on drivers of four-wheel vehicles.)

“In the spirit of equity, we want the fines imposed to motorcycle riders to be at par with those who drive cars kasi po umaabot ng P50,000 hanggang 100,000,” he added.

Senator Raffy Tulfo agreed with Ejercito, saying that motorcycle riders are the  “most harassed and discriminated” in the country.

“I have seen with my own two eyes how the motorcycle [riders are] oppressed almost every day, and the oppressor unfortunately they are the law enforcers, traffic enforcers. Nakikita ko po halos araw-araw ang haba ng pila ng mga motorsiklo, magtataka ka bakit ang haba ng pila ng mga motorsiklo. [Sa] mga checkpoint 'yung four wheels na mga sasakyan larga, motorcycle pila-pila, hinahanapan ng mga lisensya. They were stopped without no probable cause. Discrimination po 'yun,” he said.

(I see almost every day the long lines of motorcycles at checkpoints and you will wonder why the lines are so long. The four-wheel vehicles are sent through while police officers are checking motorcycles for their licenses. They were stopped without probable cause. That is discrimination.)

RFID scanners at checkpoints

Meanwhile, Tulfo asked LTO chief Jose Arturo Tugade if there are devices at checkpoints that can read vehicles' RFIDs (radio frequency identification) in order to check their registrations.

“Kasi if you have RFID and you don't have the device to read it, useless lang yung RFID. Dapat sa mga checkpoint mayroon kayong mga device para magamit yung RFID, ma-read. Lahat ng dumadaan sa checkpoint, motor man o kotse, ma-identify properly,” Tulfo said.

(If you have RFID and you don't have the device to read it, RFID is useless. At the checkpoints, you must have devices that can read the RFID so that everyone passing through the checkpoint whether motor or car can be properly identified.)

Tugade, however, said there were only limited mobile handheld devices for the purpose.

“Tama po, ang intention behind the issuance of RFID is for law enforcers to ascertain using the device po as mentioned by Senator Tulfo. Unfortunately our law enforcers are not capacitated, wala po silang capability ngayon,” he answered.

(That's right, the intention behind the issuance of RFID is for law enforcers to ascertain using the device as mentioned by Senator Tulfo. Unfortunately our law enforcers are not capacitated.)

“Mayroon po tayong ni-rollout a few weeks ago sa LTO, ito po 'yung mobile handheld device, although limited lang po siya, it has the capability of reading the RFID na naka-install sa vehicles, but tama po, it's not enough,” he added.

(A few weeks ago we rolled out mobile handheld devices for LTO enforcers. Although it is limited, it has the capability of reading the RFID. But that's right, it's not enough.)

“Sorry sir, lagay kayo nang lagay ng RFID hindi naman pala mare-read ng mga taga law enforcement natin, inutil lang 'yung RFID. Pag naglagay kayo ng RFID dapat may capability yung mga taga law o traffic enforcement na mare-read yung RFID using a device, especially sa mga checkpoint,” Tulfo replied.

(Sorry sir, if you place the RFID on vehicles and our law enforcement people won't be able to read it, the RFID is just useless. When you install the RFID, law enforcement or traffic enforcement must have the capability to read the RFID using a device, especially at checkpoints.)

Senator Francis Tolentino, on the other hand, suggested a QR code that police officers or traffic enforcers can easily scan.

“May katabing QR code 'yung RFID, para kahit sa probinsya ang gagamitin ay cellphone na lang. Pagpitik ng traffic enforcer kita na 'yung mga information. Cellphone na lang may app na gagamitin, so siguro 'yung technical ninyo yung IT maaring maka device ng ganun, tapos kaagad 'yung problema natin,” Tolentino said.

(The RFID should have a QR code next to it, so even in the province, the only thing that will be needed is a cellphone. When the traffic enforcers scan it, the information will be there. Cellphones only have an app to use, so maybe your technical IT can get a device like that and our problem will be solved immediately.) — BM, GMA Integrated News