Malacañang on Monday warned that show cause orders may be issued against local government units (LGUs) that failed to implement the “no backride” policy among motorcycle riders.
“Sa mga local government units nagkukunsinti nito, well, siguro po pupuwedeng isyuhan sila ng show cause order (To local government units tolerating this, well, they can be issued with a show cause order),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a virtual presser.
Roque said Interior Secretary Eduardo Año himself was an advocate of the no backride policy.
“Mayors, be very careful po dahil mayroon naman pong supervision ang DILG sa inyo. Huwag na po tayong lumaban sa polisiya na no backride (because the Department of the Interior and Local Government has supervision over you. Don’t go against the no backride policy),” he said.
Roque said he will also call the attention of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas to check on reported violations, particularly in Manila and Quezon City.
“We will certainly call the attention of General Sinas of NCRPO. Kinakailangang hulihin po iyang mga nagba-back ride (We should apprehend all those backriding),” he said.
Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte thumbed down the request of Cebu Governor Gwen Garcia to allow backriding despite an executive order allowing backriding on motorcycles within the province.
Garcia earlier signed Executive Order 19 allowing motorcycle owners to have one passenger or back rider.
“The law is hard but it is the law. It's not my discretion. Just because I'm the President does not mean that I can ignore the laws of the land and favor,” Duterte said in a speech last Thursday (June 4).
The Inter Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) ordered no backride policy in all areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ.
Año suggested that those who wanted to ride on the same motorcycle should get a sidecar since motorcycle backriding even for married couples remains banned.
However, he also reminded that tricycles are still prohibited from traversing national highways.
He appealed for the public’s understanding in dealing with the temporary inconvenience stressing that the situation will improve once more areas in the country transition to a new normal where all community quarantines are lifted.
More bicycle lanes will also be put up in selected locations, he added. (Azer Parrocha/PNA)
