Riding tandem criminals victimized 93 in early 2021; Gordon dismayed

MANILA, Philippines — A total of 93 victims of riding-in-tandem was recorded during the first 86 days of 2021, Senator Richard Gordon said Thursday.

During a Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing, Gordon—who chairs the panel—said that from of the 93 victims, 71 have died, 20 were injured and two got away unharmed from Jan. 1 to March 17 of this year.

Most of the victims, Gordon said, were civilians totaling 52.

Meanwhile, 13 government officials, eight government employees, one teacher, one unionist, three businessmen, one engineer, one farmer, one priest, and two lawyers were also among the victims of riding-in-tandem cases recorded in 2021, Gordon added.

“Hindi mahuhuli ang mga riding-in-tandem dahil walang plaka. Sa totoo lang walang plaka, nung 2014 pa,” the senator deplored.

(Those engaged in riding-in-tandem aren’t caught because they don’t have license plates. No plates haven’t been issued since 2014.)

Gordon’s panel resumed its hearing on implementing the Republic Act No. 11235 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, which he previously lamented has been “very slow.”

READ: Duterte signs law requiring bigger, color-coded license plates for motorcycles

Enacted in 2019, the motorcycle law seeks to secure and safeguard the citizenry from crimes committed using motorcycles by imposing bigger, readable, and color-coded number plates to make it easier for eyewitnesses to identify the number plates of motorcycles used in crimes that they saw.

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