MANILA — Authorities in Pasig City have tapped local civilian motorcycle riders to help the police force in monitoring the streets for crime and promoting road safety.
Leaders of 30 motorcycle clubs based in the city representing nearly 1,000 rider-volunteers formalized an agreement with police and local government officials on Sunday to form the PcamP or Pasig City Anti-M.R.S. (Motorcycle Riding Suspect) Patrol.
Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto and Pasig City police chief Police Col. Rizalito Gapas led the memorandum of agreement signing, witnessed by the Metro Manila and Eastern Police District directors.
Motorcycle riders who are part of the initiative would help report road crimes, particularly by motorcycle-riding criminals, who are frequent culprits in drive-by shooting and robbery incidents.
The volunteers would also remind fellow riders to follow road rules such as wearing helmets.
Speaking to the crowd of riders, Sotto joked that the Anti-M.R.S. in PcamP did not mean “Anti-Misis” or anti-wife.
But Sotto later told reporters that the PcamP was a means of engaging community members to promote peace and order in the city.
“Magiging extra hands and eyes ang motorcycle riders, talagang umiikot sila hindi lang sa Pasig kundi Metro Manila so makakatulong po talaga,” he said.
Metro Manila police director PMGEN Guillermo Eleazar called the rider-volunteers “force multipliers” to encourage safety and discipline not just among their riding clubs but other motorists.
Eastern Police District director Police Brig. Gen. Nolasco Bathan added this was just an example of a local step to help fight street crime, such as nearby Mandaluyong City’s ban on second riders in motorcycles.
He added that while motorcycle-riding crimes have gone down in the past year, this was not a sign for police to be complacent in patrolling the streets.
The volunteer riders would also be included in the national police’s “Clean Rider” sticker campaign where motorcycle owners are voluntarily pre-screened as a means of crime prevention.
Source: ABS-CBN