Kamote escort = law breaker

One of our readers shared an interesting story that many people in Metro Manila don’t often experience or know about. But for people in Tagaytay, Batangas, Pampanga, Subic and northward, the reality of extremely noisy, fast and reckless motorcycle riders, big and small block are a weekend curse disturbing their peace and endangering their children.

Hi Cito,

Just wanted to share my experience with the big bikers you mentioned in your column last Friday, March 1.

I was in my hometown, Barrio Maloma, San Felipe, Zambales last Feb. 23. My house is along the national highway. Around 9.30 p.m., I started hearing motorbikes zooming along the highway headed to Iba. Thought nothing of it until I noticed it’s been 15 minutes and they still kept coming.

Went to check it out because I could hear that these guys were full throttle. Worse, when I went to the gate, I noticed some if not most of them would ride against traffic, national highway is just two lanes.

Our barrio is barely lit at night. This lasted for about an hour until 10.30 p.m. The noise pollution & the danger their actions posed was terrible. I asked our caretakers if this happened often, they said yes. I asked if any accidents have occurred, they said yes, resulting in deaths, kids pa.

It’s good you brought this out in your column but I hope you can follow thru with your ‘connections’ to regulate the way these guys act on the road.

Like you said, acting irresponsibly like kamote riders.

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At 8:30 in the morning yesterday, I once again witnessed an all-black, super tinted private van flying through the EDSA bus lane northbound, accompanied by one kamote rider a.k.a motorcycle policeman with red and blue lights flashing. The traffic towards Crame/Aguinaldo at the time was so light that the kamote cop and his “boss” had no need to use the bus lane or their siren or blinker, but they did – because they could!

The kamotes simply do so to inform their equally irresponsible “ka-baro” stationed along the bus lane that their party of oncoming law breakers are either law enforcers or lawmakers or officials of government who should be exempted from any law enforcement action because they believe they are entitled.

I don’t know who those idiots were in the van, the kamote cop or the ones at the bus lane, but they are the perfect example for high-ranking officials of the PNP, especially the extended Chief PNP, to do something meaningful, like bring back public respect for motorcycle cops and stationed officers by making them enforce the law, especially on their own.

The last time I spoke with the MMDA Chairman, he was dead set on reviving the No-Contact Apprehension for the bus lane. What is the point in reviving a No-Contact Apprehension policy, if law enforcers, both police and MMDA enforcers, respectfully wave on or even salute at kamote escorts and their VIP bosses or clients? This is a very public insult to all other drivers and commuters who are not allowed to use bus lanes even on Sundays or low-traffic hours and are threatened with P5,000 fines.

During the presidency of Noynoy Aquino and Rodrigo Duterte, the PNP chiefs then and the Highway Patrol were able to clamp down on this public display of abuse, arrogance and entitlement. If the PNP leadership cannot even put a stop to kamote escorts on marked PNP motorcycles, what credibility can they claim regarding their other alleged accomplishments?

Whether it’s on EDSA or a two-lane provincial highway, people are angry about the abuse or frightened over reckless driving or accidents happening in their area.

If the PNP or the Highway Patrol has no interest in ensuring road safety or saving lives, perhaps DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos and DOTr Asec. Vigor D. Mendoza can devote a little time and attention to the matter. Going after corrupt police generals and colonels is commendable but when you have kamote escort riders in the PNP protecting officers and politicians from experiencing being in TRAFFIC, it is very offensive to the public.

The LTO has regularly sent out show cause orders to drivers engaging in road rage or blatant disregard for public safety, and yet the LTO central office did not even make any comment about the 24 motorcycle road racers that injured dozens and reportedly killed at least two. In fact, the organizers issued a statement partly apologizing, partly acknowledging the deaths connected with the race.

There was ample coverage of the event and the accidents on social media but for some strange reason, the LTO had nothing to say and nothing to do about the race or the deaths and accidents. Is the LTO too engrossed in finding ways to resolve the tug of war between two business groups wanting full control of the computerization program of the LTO?

Could it be true that the LTO leadership is split in their difference of opinion and conflicting positions, so much so that the LTO chief is being accused of conducting a witch hunt against directors and personnel who won’t toe the line that the Asec has taken?

I would counsel our friends in the LTO to resolve their differences professionally or bring it to someone who has the power to decide so that this distraction can be laid to rest. In the meantime, start “harvesting” the kamotes off our roads!

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