Albayalde to Metro cops: Go after ‘riding-in-tandem’ criminals

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director Oscar Albayalde on Tuesday stressed on the need for the police force to improve on its drive against motorcycle-riding or “riding-in-tandem” criminals.

“We really have to improve on that. Talagang kailangan naming i-improve naman,” he said in a press briefing.

Albayalde made the statement after it was bared during the NCRPO’s recent command conference that only nine of the 77 recorded shooting incidents by motorcycle-riding suspects in Metro Manila were solved by authorities.

The number of shootings by motorcycle-riding gunmen that resulted in deaths or injuries was recorded by the NCRPO from Dec. 5, 2017 to March 13, 2018.

Albayalde said Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa has already issued a directive to focus on the resolution of these cases.

The NRCPO admitted that these “riding-in-tandem” incidents, which were committed mostly in the southern parts of the Metro, have continued to pose a challenge to police.

“Hindi naman natin totally ma-zero yan with the problem of loose firearms and illegal drugs. Different reasons din yan, merong love triangle, drugs, gang war… kung minsan vengeance at personal reasons,” he said.   / muf