By NITZ ARANCON and JOEY NACALABAN
Correspondents .
NATIONAL Police Director General Oscar Albayalde yesterday launched the “Clean Rider” campaign here in time for the 117th police service anniversary at Camp Alagar.
Accompanied by Chief Supt. Timoteo Pacleb, police director for northern Mindanao, Albayalde was the first to put a “Clean Rider” sticker on a motorcycle owned by a member of organized bike riders in Region 10.
The motorcycle stickers would simply allow authorities to determine that the owner of the vehicle has complete papers and other information about him and the motorcycle are in the police file. The stickers also suggest that the motorcycle owner has a clean record. Basically, the sticker campaign makes it easier for the police to separate the good from the bad or to spot law-abiding motorcycle drivers.
The police started to implement the “Clean Rider” campaign throughout the country this month in an effort to boost the police’s efforts to bring the number of crimes commited by people using motorcycles such as the so-called “riding in tandem” attacks.
“While we are saying that this is not the solution, but, at least, we can minimize this ‘riding in tandem’ problem, hopefully,” Albayalde told reporters.
He said the campaign is open for all motorcycle owners and drivers, and not only those who belong to organizations.
The motorcycle stickers, he said, are for free, and are difficult to fake.
Camp Alagar spokesman Supt. Surki Sereñas said those interested can go to the police stations to apply and show their original copies of certificates of registration with the Land Transportation Office, drivers’ licenses, and a 2×2 ID photo.
Applicants would be subjected to background checks so the police would know if they have criminal records.
Sereñas however said the stickers won’t guarantee that motorcycle users won’t be subjected to inspections. “Dili na kini garantiya nga dili kana inspeksiyonon kon molabay kag checkpoint. Inspeksiyonon gihapon,” said Sereñas.
“It will serve as their police clearance so they could avoid the hassles at the checkpoints,” Albayalde said.
But Albayalde clarified that the stickers do not mean immunity from police searches.
Chief Supt. Pacleb said Region 10 alone has over 17 thousand motorcycle users.
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