1,350 motorcyclists nabbed for violating barrier rule

MANILA, Philippines — More than a thousand motorcycle riders were apprehended by law enforcers during the first two days of the government’s strict implementation of the no “physical barriers, no back-ride” policy, the Philippine National Police (PNP) reported yesterday.

Data from police units nationwide showed that 1,350 motorcyclists were nabbed either for transporting unauthorized passengers or lack of barriers.

Police said some of the violators have physical dividers but these were not approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said 580 of the violators had no barriers while carrying passengers who are not their spouses, while 704 have marriage documents but had no barriers.

Sixty-six bikers had the prescribed barriers, but were carrying unauthorized passengers.

Eleazar, who heads the Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield, said 36 of the violators were brought to police stations for resisting arrest and violating local ordinances on back-riding.

The government has allowed couples to ride on motorcycles provided they have plastic barriers between them as protection against the coronavirus disease 2019.

Aside from married couples, members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community are allowed as long as they are living in one house.

Under the PNP guidelines on back-riding, couples without a physical barrier, not wearing face masks and helmets would be fined up to P10,000 and charged with reckless driving.

Motorcycle riders transporting non-authorized passengers will be fined P1,000.

Eleazar said the Land Transportation Office and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority will decide whether the driver’s license of violators should be confiscated.

PNP data showed that a majority of the arrests were made by the Highway Patrol Group with 284, followed by the Central Visayas police with 187, Bicol region police with 158, Zamboanga peninsula police with 129 and Soccsksargen police with 120.

Eleazar warned motorcycle riders that defiance of back-riding policies would be dealt with accordingly.

“We hope that the number of violators will decrease in the coming days,” he said.