TWG to harmonize bills on larger motorcycle license plates

January 27, 2018

The House committees on transportation and public order and safety chaired by Reps. Cesar Sarmiento of Catanduanes and Romeo Acop of Antipolo, respectively, approved the creation of a technical working group (TWG) that will fine-tune proposals to use larger license plates to curb motorcycle crimes.

The committees named Rep. Rozzano Rufino Biazon of Muntinlupa as TWG head.

During their joint deliberations this week, the two committees discussed House Bill 5381 authored by Rep. Victor Yap, HB 5714 by Deputy Speaker Ferdinand Hernandez, HB 5839 by Rep. Reynaldo Umali, and HB 6226 by Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte, which all seek to battle criminality, in light of the large number of crimes  using motorcycles.

The bills propose to deter crimes committed with the use of motorcycles by requiring larger motorcycle plate numbers,

identification marks, and punishment for those who commit crime through or with a backrider.

Per Philippine National Police 2011 statistics, there were 1,700 recorded crime incidents involving riding-in-tandem suspects, with 2,089 victims. These figures show an increase in crime incidents compared to the 2,565 recorded cases with 1,819 victims in 2010. In 2013, the PNP recorded over 3,000 crimes committed by motorcycle drivers in Metro Manila alone.

“With the decrease in price of motorcycles in the market, this two-wheeled vehicle becomes readily available and accessible to criminals or those intending to use it as a getaway vehicle. The proliferation of motorcycles in the main thoroughfares has likewise worsened and their power identification is warranted to regulate its use for legitimate purposes only,” said Hernandez.

The provisions of the bills levy penalties such as reclusion perpetua or reclusion temporal for commission of motorcycle crimes that result in death or injury of the victim. Failure to comply with requirement of larger plates or report loss of plates in a timely manner can be met with up to P50,000 in fines. DMS