Authorities want more sanctions over motorcades of fraternities

Penalties for unruly caravan around the city, and even denial of motorcade permits to fraternities, are among the measures the authorities have planned to enforce to stop another rambunctious bash similar to that of the Alpha Kappa Rho's anniversary celebration.

City Police acting director Melvin Gayotin has called on the city council to enact a special ordinance providing for bigger sanctions against unruly parades or motorcades. " We need stricter rules, dapat dunay mas bug-at nga city ordinance," he said.

Even Vice Mayor Michael Rama got disappointed over the behavior of most Akrho members during the motorcade Tuesday when the fraternity celebrated its 33rd founding anniversary.

City traffic chief Marlou Martinez, for his part, said he was also disappointed over the blatant violations of Akrho in its motorcade, and he has second thoughts now about giving Akrho a permit in its bash next year. "Kay dili man sila maka-control sa ilang mga membro," he said.

The traffic division granted Akrho a motorcade permit but with the provision that such will not exceed 10 vehicles and that traffic rules, such as against overloading, should be followed. But it turned out otherwise.

Traffic enforcers apprehended 16 jeepney drivers that Akrho members hired for the motorcade. These drivers violated the law on overloading and operating outside travel lines.

"Kinahanlang ang mga drivers mo-seminar gyud sa Land Transporation Office, and pay the fines, before they could get back their driver's licenses," Martinez said.

Gayotin remembered a proposal of Provincial Police director Vicente Loot before to classify warring fraternities as criminal gangs because of the atrocities they committed through the years.

Loot's call failed to gain support from the mayors however on the contention that only a few members could be deemed as truly "bad eggs."

But Gayotin perceived these groups as "unruly" based on the rowdy behavior they showed in the motorcade. "Personally, samok gyud ni sila, but duna man pud silay katungod as long as they do not violate the law," he said.

Gayotin said Akrho's "good purpose" have been defeated by unruliness. "Wala mo-reflect sa ilang batasan ang ilang intentions," he said recounting what he and the police witnessed in the motorcade.

"I am not blaming Richard Buscaino (Akrho head) but he should do something about it," Gayotin said as he called on the Akhro leadership to act on the matter by policing its ranks.

Buscaino, for his part, said he blamed the drivers on what happened because he already warned them beforehand not to travel if there are Akrho members settling on the jeepney roofs.

He also instructed the members not to join the motorcade if they are inebriated, and not to climb to the vehicles' rooftops, but he admitted that the ecstatic moment at the time drove some members to overreact. - Ramil V. Ayuman and Edwin Ian Melecio