Highway Patrol team apprehends 51 motorcycles

CEBU, Philippines - The Highway Patrol Team of Negros Oriental apprehended a total of 51 motorcycles, 35 of them impounded, during the one-day anti-carnapping operation yesterday, among other traffic violations.

The team, led by Senior Inspector Robelito Mariano, issued citation tickets and temporary operators permits (TOPs) to the apprehended vehicles, 16 of which were still under verification to determine if these were carnapped or not.

Mariano said the HPT-Negros Oriental's operation was assisted by 12 personnel from the Highway Patrol Group of the Negros Island Region (Region 18), with only two of them deputized by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to issue TOP, and three others deputized by the Dumaguete City government to issue citation tickets.

Questions were raised however on why the HPT singled out the motorcycles, but Mariano disclosed they also flagged 4-wheeled vehicles but these have complete papers.

Mariano advised motorists to fix accessories of their units, bring original copies of the vehicles' certificate of registration and official receipts, as well as the driver's license to avoid apprehension.

He explained that the revised schedule of penalties is provided for under a Joint Administrative Order (JAO) of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) and the LTO.

The HPG was merely enforcing the JAO and other road regulations, he said, but added that the biggest problem of the HPT now is the impounding area of motorcycles that were issued with citation tickets and TOPs.

To date, the HPT office at the back the Capitol building in Dumaguete City is crowded with at least a hundred impounded motorcycles, Mariano said.

The first day of operation was conducted at the Bagacay-Valencia route, and today it will be done at the routes going to Sibulan or Bacong town.

Mariano added that five policemen from each of the police stations in the province will attend today a seminar on anti-carnapping laws and related regulations, with lecturers from the city prosecutors' office. (FREEMAN)