By Dominic B. dela Cruz
Staff reporter
Laoag
City—Laoag councilor Joseph H. Tamayo shot
down a proposal to allow motorcycle riders not wear helmet when they are in the
city’s poblacion area.
Laoag City police chief
P/Supt. Jeffrey T. Gorospe earlier made the proposal to do away with the
wearing of helmet in the poblacion area to prevent concealment of identities of
motorcycle-riding criminals.
Mr. Gorospe said
assassinations or shooting of civilians are usually carried out by
riding-in-tandem criminals who take advantage of the helmet law to conceal
their identities.
The newly installed police
chief cited an example where a traffic aide was accidentally dragged by a
motorcycle whose rider was not identified because of the helmet as well as a
hit and run victim who was hit by a motorcycle with no vehicle plate.
He added that the wearing of
helmet for motorcycle riders is a national law but he singled out Batac City
where the wearing of helmet in their poblacion area is prohibited to prevent
crimes done by motorcycle riding elements.
He also stressed that Laoag’s
CCTV surveillance system would become more successful in identifying possible
suspects.
However, he also clarified
that his proposal should still be studied and approved by the Sangguniang
Panlungsod.
ComPAC revitalized
Meanwhile, Mr. Tamayo delivered a privilege speech that disagreed
with the police chief’s proposal.
Mr. Tamayo emphasized that
the proposal contradicts a national law on wearing helmets for motorcycle
riders and that his recently approved ordinance institutionalizing the rules,
procedures and guidelines of Community Police Assistance Centers (ComPACs)
should help the police in maintaining peace and order in the city.
The new ComPAC ordinance aims
to provide quick response to calls for assistance in barangays within a
ComPAC’s jurisdiction.
Mr. Tamayo added that the
measure also provides clear rules, procedures and guidelines for all the eighth
ComPACs in the city. He added that it also calls on each ComPAC to put up
unannounced checkpoints from 6 pm to 6 am.
Mr. Tamayo explained further
that the ordinance also includes the participation of barangay tanods and
barangay peacekeeping action team (BPATs) as peacekeepers in their respective
barangays.
The councilor stressed that
the reactivation and revitalization of the ComPACs could prevent all crimes not
only those of riding-in-tandem thugs.
Mr. Tamayo also disclosed
that most deaths from motorcycle accidents are caused by riders not wearing the
prescribed helmets.
However, he also admitted
that his stand is his own and he does not speak for his fellow councilors.
Lack of personnel
Reacting to Mr. Tamayo’s speech, Mr. Gorospe said he commends the
recent approval of the ComPAC ordinance saying regular checkpoints is one of
their routine functions.
He also said that the biggest
problem for the Laoag police right now is the lack of personnel in terms of
population to a police officer ratio.
Mr. Gorospe explained that
each police officer serve 12 hours a day and they only have 80 personnel
including those in the operation and investigation sections.
He also stated that the
police is trying its best with what they have and that all police personnel in
the ComPACs have also reached out to barangay officials to assist them.
He added that the new ComPAC
ordinance would be effective as long as the police has sufficient personnel to
man all the centers.
He however disclosed that
they do not have enough officers at present.
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