SUPPORTIVE BIKERS Over 2,000 motorcycle riders attend Wednesday’s launch of the PNP’s “Clean Rider” sticker campaign. —Richard A. Reyes
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has come up with a practical and simple way to separate law-abiding motorcycle riders from those involved in illegal activities: the “Clean Rider” sticker.
Under the campaign which the PNP launched in Metro Manila on Wednesday, motorcycle owners could voluntarily submit themselves for screening to the police who would determine their eligibility to be issued a Clean Rider sticker and an accompanying serial number sticker for their driver’s license.
Think of it as a stick-on “police clearance” for motor bikers, said PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde.
To qualify, applicants should present the official receipt and certificate of registration for their motorcycle, a valid identification card and their driver’s license.
Background checks
They would then undergo background verification for criminal records while their motorcycles would be checked to determine if these had been used in previous crimes.
Albayalde said he hoped the campaign could help “make streets safe, dismantle organized groups and promote road safety and responsible riders.”
“It will be a big help against motorcycle-riding suspects who are usually using stolen bikes,” he told reporters. “Law-abiding riders will feel more secure. They will have a faster time [being verified by the police at checkpoints or during inspections].”
Nationwide drive
The system is set for nationwide implementation under a memorandum circular issued by Albayalde last month.
In the circular, Albayalde said the campaign was a response to recent “crimes perpetrated by motorcycle-riding suspects targeting high-profile victims such as priests and elected government officials…”
Bad image
Chief Supt. Guillermo Eleazar, Metro Manila police director, said the campaign was aimed at eliminating the public’s negative perception of motorcycle riders.
In Metro Manila alone, there were 355 crime incidents involving motorcycle-riding suspects from January to July.
The incidents ranged from shooting, robbery and theft, to physical injuries.
The data provided by Eleazar showed that motorcycle rider-perpetrated physical injuries rose in the first seven months of the year by 37.50 percent compared to the same period in 2017. Motorcycle rider-perpetrated robberies also went up by 12.10 percent although motorcycle rider-perpetrated theft cases, went down by 28.57 percent and shootings by 62.75 percent.