Yulo ambush prompts call to ban men ‘riding in tandem’ on Edsa

MANILA, Philippines — After the ambush of a businessman and his driver along Edsa on Sunday, the chief of the Mandaluyong City Police Station urged other local governments in the metropolis and the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) to replicate the ban on men “riding in tandem” along the major thoroughfare.

“[I recommend na] gumawa ng ordinance to replicate ‘yung ordinance na [nagbabawal sa] riding in tandem [in other cities and along Edsa],” Senior Supt. Moises Villaceran told INQUIRER.net on Monday.

Mandaluyong City started to regulate motorists riding-in-tandem to minimize crimes committed by motorcycle-riding suspects in 2014 through Ordinance No. 550. It was relaunched in 2015 as Ordinance No. 595.

READ: Mandaluyong City government tweaks ban on tandem riding

Villaceran said that since he assumed office in 2016, the Mandaluyong City Police Station did not record any single incident committed by riding-in-tandem suspects.

“[Over] two years before, hanggang ngayon, walang riding-in-tandem na nagcommit ng crime (Over two years before, until now, there are no crimes committed by men riding-in-tandem ),” he said.

Villaceran acknowledged that motorists may consider this an inconvenience if it is extended to other cities, much more along Edsa that thousands of motorists traverse every day.

“But for me, it should be replicated by other cities kung kinakailangan (if needed),” he said.

Villaceran lamented that the Mandaluyong City Police was not able to implement the ordinance in areas covered by the city in Edsa — primarily being monitored by the MMDA— where motorcycle-riding suspects shot businessman Jose Luis Yulo and his driver Allan Nomer Santos. /ee

READ: Businessman, driver killed, woman injured in Edsa shooting