PRO-7 Technical Working Group to study Helmet Law

CEBU, Philippines - The Police Regional Office –7 is forming a technical working group to “improve the security aspects” of Republic Act 10054 or the Motorcycle Helmet Law which was passed for the safety of motorcycle riders.

Senior Supt. Orlando Ualat, PRO-7 chief directorial staff, made the pronouncement during the 57th Talakayan Sa Isyong Pulis at Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr. yesterday.

Once formally created, Ualat said that the group will be tasked to come up with helmet specifications that would help the police in their campaign against motorcycle-riding criminals.

Atty. Zando Oriol, spokesperson of the National Police Commission – 7, admitted that the helmet law is a “big problem” to the law enforcers.

“Mao man gyud na ang purpose sa law, the safety of the driver and the back rider nga sila duha mga helmet, (That is the purpose of the law, for both the driver and backrider to wear helmets for their safety.” the lawyer said. 

Oriol said if NAPOLCOM sees that the present specifications cannot address the security issues, they can request for the appropriate changes from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as the leading agency tasked to implement the law.

“To make the specifications, it will now be arranged between the PNP and the DTI because the safety features (of the helmet) cannot be compromised,” he said.

Despite this impediment, Oriol said that the law itself provides remedies that can address the security needs and concerns of the police. “Let DTI amend its own specifications to address the security issues,” Oriol said.

DTI only allow three kinds of helmets which include the full-face helmets which covers the whole face; open-face helmets which only covers the back of the head but rids itself of the lower chin and jaw armor; and half-face helmets which only protects the upper portion of the head.

Findings of the technical working group will be submitted to Camp Crame for further evaluation and will be lobbied by the PNP to DTI central office. 

Supt. Audie Villacin, chief of the Regional Investigation and Detective Management Branch (RIDMB), revealed that Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) ranked first with the most cases of crimes involving motorcycle-riding criminals from January to May this year with 72 cases.

Villacin said CCPO was followed respectively by Cebu Provincial Police Office with 44 cases and followed by the police offices of Bohol with 28 cases; Mandaue City with 21 cases, while Siquijor had no recorded incidents.

Senior Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, CCPO director, also echo NAPOLCOM’s concern. He assured an intensified conduct of checkpoint and other anti-criminality operations on the street as a way to deter crimes.

For his part, Senior Supt. Noel Gillamac, chief of MCPO, said that they can use the “scientific test” such as ballistics exams to identify criminals. “Obstacle gyud (helmet law) ni sa pag identify nato. (This is an obstacle to the identification of criminals.)” he said. –(FREEMAN)