PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief General Debold M. Sinas has ordered the deployment of more tactical motorcycle-riding units patrol officers and secret marshals to combat the presence of motorcycle-riding criminals in Metro Manila and the rest of the country, the Journal Group was told yesterday.
The move was made to address incidents of deadly attacks and robbery-holdups involved in so-called ‘riding-in-tandem criminals’ in the country.
Official PNP records showed that between August 16 and March 16, 2020, there were 1,828 crime incidents perpetrated by motorcycle-riding suspects in the country.
Sinas said that although the number has dropped to only 756 incidents from March 17 to October 16, 2020, they believe that it would only be temporary since the reduction was mainly due to the high presence of the police on the streets as they enforced travel restrictions which limited the movement of the people during the community quarantine measures.
“When the monthly trend of incidents was reviewed during the pandemic period, the data revealed there was an upward trend of incidents from 50 in April 2020 to 143 in September 2020,” Sinas said.
According to the top cop, their Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO) concept of policing shall also be revisited as it has been proven to be an effective tool in ensuring the safety and security of the public and at the same time prevent so-called riding-in-tandem criminals from attacking their preys.
Sinas said he has also approved new operational guidelines to ‘prevent and control’ the mobility of motorcycle-riding thieves and assassins.
“While the use of motorcycles in the Philippines is a popular mode of transportation, motorcycles are also utilized by criminals to easily flee from a crime scene as it provides increased maneuverability to navigate narrow and crowded alleys, sidewalks, busy streets, and even major thoroughfares,” the PNP chief said.
Thus, Sinas said that PNP Tactical Motorcycle Riding Units (TMRUs) and secret marshals in motorcycles will be activated as an added measure to support the EMPO concept that would focus on high-priority crimes and would undertake directed and preventive patrol assignments.
He explained that as quarantine measures ease and the economy re-opens, the PNP anticipates that there would be increased opportunities for would-be offenders to commit street crimes including those who use motorcycles, hence the need to proactive and tactically-skilled enforcement units.
TMRUs are strategically trained motorcycle-mounted patrollers who can immediately respond to any incident perpetrated by motorcycle-riding suspects while secret marshals in motorcycles are dedicated covert operatives involved in the actual monitoring of motorcycle-riding suspects in the validated list, the PNP chief said.
They shall also work hand in hand with the PNP Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group operatives in tracking down identified rouge policemen and other law enforcement personnel, he added.
