Banning pillion riders antipoor, says lawmaker

Hon. Gutierrez, Ibarra “Barry” M. III. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO/www.congress.gov.ph

MANILA, Philippines—Banning the riding in tandem on motorcycles will not deter crime and is, moreover, an antipoor proposal, according to a member of Congress.

Akbayan party-list Rep. Ibarra Gutierrez on Saturday joined those opposed to the proposal to ban more than one rider on a motorcycle, which was broached after police failed to stop the spate of illegal activities committed by motorcycle-riding criminals.

According to Gutierrez, this would be detrimental to the millions of ordinary Filipinos who rely on motorcycles to get around as a cost-efficient and faster mode of transportation. It would be an economic burden for the poor, he added.

Motorcycles have become popular in recent years because of their low price and ease in getting through traffic. But they have also become the vehicle of choice of assassins and robbers who manage to give police the slip.

“This is a grave injustice. It violates human rights and severely discriminates against the ordinary working Filipino citizens,” Gutierrez said of the proposed ban.

“This new riding measure could put restrictions on more than 7 million motorcycle riders, stifle resource-sharing for people who use this mode of transportation to save on travel expenses, and sow undue suspicion and discrimination against motorcycle riders who are now being generalized as potential criminals,” he added.

He said that just because two people are on a motorcycle does not mean they are potential robbers or killers. It would not do to generalize, he said.

“We should not breed suspicions that, in the end, will prove detrimental to the welfare of the ordinary citizens,” he added.

He pointed out that even law enforcement personnel and government employees had turned to using motorcycles as a favored mode of transportation.

Gutierrez contended that banning two persons from riding on one motorcycle would not necessarily lead to a reduction in crime.

What would lead to it is local government units boosting their police forces and increasing police visibility. Upgrading the equipment of law enforcement personnel would also help, he said.

“The LGUs need to explore alternative initiatives that will effectively combat the increasing crime rate without leaving the innocent ordinary Filipinos to carry the costs,” he added.

Gutierrez said he backs the position of the Motorcycle Rights Organization and Arangkada Riders Alliance which have protested the move to ban riding pillion, or riding on the back seat of motorcycles.

“Public safety should be of great priority but we have to be prudent with the supporting measures that will be adopted. We have to make sure that it effectively addresses the issue that is being resolved and it does not harm the people, in both economic and social terms,” he said.

Earlier, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada broached the idea of banning pillion riding on motorcycles after criminal incidents such as killings and robberies made a dramatic rise in the city and elsewhere.

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