MRTC

Hole of Justice

By Peter G. Jimenea

 

Motorcycle Riding in Tandem Criminals (MRTC)

At noted, in-spite of the array of government measures to prevent the increasing number of vicious and brutal crimes, statistics show that it becomes sophisticated and extensive as perceive by the public. The reports of print and broadcast media about this crime has subjected out law enforcement to public scrutiny.

The unheralded and intensified anti-crime drive by the PNP, like increased police visibility, beat patrol, deployment of motorcycle-cops, night patrol operations and random checkpoint ( hoping not manned by arrogant and discourteous policemen like that on March 8, 2014 in Iloilo City), efficiency of the PNP to solve this mess of MRTC is still a failure.

The two local media practitioners who had been victims of this motorcycle riding in tandem criminals (MRTC) in Iloilo City, has survived to tell their stories. Block-time radio broadcaster Fernando “Kapid” Gabio and Jhonavin “Jhey-r”  Villalba, a reporter a beat reporter of a radio station in the city.

Gabio was cleaning his auto when two motorcycle riding men stopped behind and shoot him. It happened in front of their house last year. Luckily, he was hit only on the upper-left leg and was able to take cover. When Gabio tried to pull out a gun kept inside a shoulder bag, his two would-be assassins escaped.

Villalba on the other hand, was opening the gate of their house that night when a motorcycle suddenly stopped behind him and the back-rider sprayed the poor guy with bullets. Luckily, Villalba’s injury was only in his foot but still, he was confined for days in the hospital.

Another victim of this MRTC was the retired P/Supt. Musa Amiyong. He was shot at the middle of the bridge linking La Paz District to Iloilo City Proper. But a funny group of policemen who responded to the scene of the crime had been arguing as to which district shall have the jurisdiction to investigate. It was later claimed by the City Proper PNP.

What propelled to the rise in the MTRC modus operandi is the traffic congestion. Criminals snarled in traffic jam are forced to leave their gate-away vehicles so as not to be caught by the pursuing law enforcers. Sometimes, cohorts riding on a motorcycle would jump to the rescue. But most often, they use force or violence to grab a motorcycle from driving-owners to flee.

The advent of 2000 has recorded a number of incidents where criminals riding in tandem are emboldened to commit atrocities ranging from snatching, illegal-drug peddling, robberies, gun-for-hire, murder, etc. Motorcycle became a useful tool for criminals to accomplish their evil intent.

The breakdown of an unabated killings perpetrated by the MRTCs is so extensive and disturbing that manifest police inefficiency. Lack of determination to probe the crime deeper and the use of usual phrases “absence of witness” or “lack of evidence” are vital causes of police failure in solving cases. Crime solution efficiency of the police in this case is…..just guess the rest!

From January to September 2011, PNP Dir. Gen. Nicanor A. Bartolome reported to then SILG Sec. Jessie Robredo, that there were 1,700 crime incidents perpetrated by the MRTC. Of these cases, 1,419 remain “under investigation.” That means 83 percent are floating in the air and will soon disappear in the course of time!

To cushion the impact of a shameful performance, the investigator wrote “under investigation” rather than “unsolved crimes.” For CY 2011, covering the period of January 01 to December 31, a total number of 2,960 incidents committed by the MRTC throughout the country was recorded, 499 cases were solved and 2,461 are “under investigation.”

Worse, for the first six (6) months of 2012, covering the period January 01 to June 30, a total number of 1,560 incidents were recorded, 169 cases were reported to have been solved. Again, 1,391 cases or 89.17 percent of the MRTC’s atrocities are still under investigation or remain unsolved.

No wonder why only motorcycles are stopped at checkpoints. PNP checkpoints give us security and peace of mind. But they should know that motorcycle riders they stopped at checkpoints are not all criminals. They are peaceful taxpayers who contribute for your salaries to feed your family. They deserved respect from policemen at the checkpoints. I hope P/Supt. Kim Legarda takes this reminder to his heart!