TABUK CITY, Kalinga, – Hundreds of motorcycles have already been impounded and over a thousand motorcycle owners were apprehended by the city government after the implementation of the ordinance prohibiting the use of two-wheeled vehicles or motorcycles without exhaust mufflers or silencers was stepped up since January 2017.
Mirriam Antonette Buslig, assistant chief of the Public Order and Safety Office (POSO), on Tuesday, said they were now strictly implementing Ordinance 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”.
With the apprehensions of violators, she added that over P1 million in penalties has been remitted by their office to the city treasury.
Most of those apprehensions were of two-wheeled vehicles of single motorcycles using modified exhaust without mufflers or silencers.
She explained that prior to the implementation of the ordinance, their office constantly received a number of complaints from the residents on the loud sound coming from motorcycles that disturbs people, especially at night.
“People who hear an excessive sound from a motorcycle without exhaust mufflers will be exasperated, how much more with these riders?,” Buslig said.
She said that POSO is coming up with a proposal to the local legislative body for the possible amendment of the ordinance that would legally allow them to destroy the confiscated illegal exhaust mufflers to prevent the owner from reusing the same.
Buslig said that when approved, the destruction of the unprescribed mufflers will be done publicly for transparency.
She said under the ordinance, violators are fined Php500 for the first offense, Php1,000 for the second offense and Php3,000 for the third offense.
POSO has requested for an augmentation of its personnel for to cover a wider area considering that the apprehension is being done 24 hours a day for seven days.
The POSO, together with PNP–Tabuk City, are intensifying the implementation of this ordinance which also includes the apprehension for violations of the no helmet, no travel policy; undocumented motor vehicle; driving without license and other land transportation and traffic laws and ordinances.
By JESSE MAGUIYA
