Duterte to suspend motorbike plate law

DAVAO CITY, Philippines —  Biking enthusiast President Duterte plans to suspend the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, which requires the placement of bigger license plates in front and at the back of motorcycles.

Duterte said that the law, which he signed recently, is not good for motorcycle riders.

“I will try to convince the LTO (Land Transportation Office) to maybe hang on to it. I will suspend its implementation because the way I see it, it is not good,” Duterte told the gathering of motorcycle riders during the 25th national convention of the National Federation of Motorcycle Clubs of the Philippines (NFMCP) at the Iloilo Convention Center last Saturday.

Duterte signed Republic Act 11235 last March 8, requiring motorcycles to have larger and more readable license plates as a way to prevent crimes committed by the so-called riding-in-tandem riders.

Duterte said he would discuss the matter with the LTO and Sen. Richard Gordon, author of the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, in order to come up with a fair solution and compromise.

Motorcycle riders met the law with criticisms and protests.

Duterte, a motorcycle enthusiast himself, conceded placing larger license plates on a motorcycle is dangerous due to their sharp edges.

“Because it is not good. It is dangerous to place another gadget, especially those with sharp edges like license plates. It could be a plastic or it could be aluminum but still it will pose risk to the rider’s helmet,” he said.

The President stressed that he is amenable to increasing the size of the license plate but only from a fourth its current size.

“Make it larger, especially the license plates in the rear. What is important is the rear plate,” he stressed.

Duterte also expressed concern over the law’s prescribed fine of P50,000 up to P100,000. He said that these amounts were “too high” for those who would be caught without the bigger license plates. 

“Maybe as a compromise, I’m willing (to lower it to) P10,000 to P15,000,” he said.

Duterte said he had considered the recommendations of the police and military when he signed the measure.

The President also told the gathering that his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who is also an avid motorcyclist, confiscated his motorcycles.

Another motorcyclist, Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito welcomed Duterte’s move to suspend the law.

The motorcycle-riding community heaved “a sigh of relief” with Duterte’s directive, Ejercito said.

“For me, it’s more like an imprimatur for the conduct of a thorough study and discussion among stakeholders to fully understand the law, especially the source of complaint and confusion, with the end view of coming up with a common formula to assure the safety of riders while the law’s anti-criminality objective is being achieved,” he said.

Ejercito said he talked with Duterte before he delivered his speech at the NFMCP convention in Iloilo City. 

Ejercito said he brought along motocross legend Butch Chase, who is also Duterte’s good friend.

“We gave the President a situationer and the sentiments of the riders in general towards the recently signed law. The President listened to us attentively. He is a listening President,” the senator said.

He said the motorcycle community, like the rest of the Filipino people, wants the campaign against criminality of the President to succeed.

Gordon, however, insisted on implementing the law to the fullest. He said the law will give justice to the victims of riding-in-tandem shooters.

“I’m just defending the people who were killed by riding-in-tandem assassins. They can no longer seek justice for themselves. How do we do justice to these people? You limit the way people can get away with riding without motor plates and riding with stolen motorcycles,” he said.

Gordon cited records from the Philippine National Police showing 46 percent of the total of 28,409 motorcycle riding crimes or incidents reported from 2010 to 2017, 13,062 were shooting incidents.  – With Christina Mendez, Paolo Romero