TABUK, Kalinga – Nearly hundreds of motorcycles were impounded after an ordinance prohibiting the use of two-wheeled vehicles or motorcycles without exhaust mufflers or silencers got into full implementation.
Mirriam Antonette Buslig, assistant chief, Public Order and Safety Office, or POSO, revealed that there are now more than a thousands of motorcycles apprehended during the first day of its intensified implementation early this year. She added they already remitted more than a half million to the city treasury office acquired from their daily apprehensions.
Most of their apprehensions are two-wheeled vehicle of single motorcycle using a modified exhaust without mufflers or silencers which emit excessive noise that annoys and offends the senses. She explained that a lot of complaints coming from concern citizens are flooding their desk stating the disturbing sound coming from this type of motorcycle exhaust especially at night.
“I don’t know what is the exact benefit these people get from using motorcycle without exhaust mufflers or silencers as it only irritates the ears,” exclaimed Buslig. “People who hear an excessive sound from a motorcycle without exhaust mufflers areexasperate, how much more with these riders?”
POSO Tabuk City is also negotiating with the city officialdom of Tabuk if they could author an ordinance to permit POSO in crashing all the confiscated unprescribed motorcycle mufflers since their office is becoming narrow due to lack of space due to the storage of these items. She is very positive that if their request will be granted, the crashing or shredding of the confiscated illegal motorcycle mufflers will be done in public for transparency purposes. According to her, they cannot crash or shred all the confiscated motorcycle exhaust because those items will be returned to the owner provided that the violators pay corresponding penalties which is P500 for the first offense, 1,000 pesos second offense and 3,0000 pesos for the third offense.
She said that POSO is drafting a letter of request to the Sangguniang Panlungsod to amend the penalty provided in Ordinance No. 002 series of 2011, better known as “An Ordinance Prohibiting the Use of Two–wheeled Vehicles or Motorcycles Without Exhaust Mufflers or Silencers in Tabuk, in which all confiscated illegal exhaust mufflers will not be returned and automatically destroyed because of the possibility that owners will be attaching it again in their vehicles.
In addition to this, POSO is also requesting for an additional personnel since their present strength is not enough to be deployed strategically in all the possible posting areas especially that they are operating day and night at 24/7 basis.
The POSO together with the PNP – Tabuk City are now working together in intensifying the implementation of this ordinance. Included in their daily operation are violations of no helmet, no travel policy, undocumented motor vehicle, driving without license and other traffic rules being violated by these unscrupulous drivers and motorcycle riders.
By JESSE MAGUIYA