MANILA – The Joint Task Force (JTF) Covid Shield said there will be no more extension for the installation of protective barriers on motorcycles as police officers were directed to apprehended and fine violators beginning Saturday (August 1).
“For more than three weeks, we were just warning and advising the violators to comply until July 31. As the grace period ends today, we expect that all motorcycle riders have already complied in order for them to avoid inconvenience as they go to work and ride back home,” said task force commander, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, in a statement Friday.
Based on the guidelines issued by the PNP Directorate for Operations in coordination with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) and as approved by PNP chief, Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa, all police commanders and the PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) are instructed to start apprehending violators starting August 1 and impose fines ranging from PHP1,000 to PHP10,000.
Below are the guidelines issued by the PNP through Director for Operations, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Luis Licup, who is also the vice commander of the JTF Covid Shield, for pillion riding:
-All drivers and passengers must wear face masks and helmets at all times;
-Maximum of two persons per motorcycle must be allowed, provided that they are couples living in the same household. Provided further that the valid IDs and related documents shall be presented as proof that said persons are living together, married, and/or in a mutual relationship (common-law wife, boyfriend, girlfriend); and
-A safety barrier/shield whose design is duly-approved by the IATF National Task Force Covid-19 must be placed between the driver and the passenger.
Licup said failure to comply with the rules that include the safety gears such as helmets will have corresponding penalties under the following circumstances:
-Non-wearing face masks, helmets and non-installation of the approved barriers would fall under Reckless Driving with penalties ranging from PHP1,000 to PHP10,000 depending on the number of the same offense committed;
-Those who are not authorized to back-ride (those who are not married or living-in partners) would be penalized with overloading of passengers with a penalty of PHP1,000; and
-Drivers who are not classified as Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR) would be meted with the violation of driving without a valid license which has a fine of PHP3,000.
Meanwhile, appropriate laws would be used to penalize other violators with other offenses.
Police officers were also tasked to coordinate with LTO in their respective areas of responsibility for the conduct of joint operations against the violators. -PNA
