Concerns on checkpoints and motorcycles addressed

Police here conduct a Comelec checkpoint on Sunday, January 9, 2022, as the nationwide gun ban for election season starts. | Photo screen grabbed from PRO-7 FB Live

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Motorcycles are usually what policemen check during checkpoints as these are those mostly used by individuals doing lawless actions.

This was what Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy director for operations of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said as he explained concerns and questions raised on why motorcycles were mostly those checked during checkpoints.

“Usually man gud, kung makita nato, wa man sad gyuy mga four wheels nga gigamit sa mga criminals. Usually ang gigamit ang motorcycles. That is why atong gifocus more on motorcycles considering nga mao man jod ni ang gigamit, wa may mga four wheels nga gigamit sa mga shooting incidents,” Parilla said.

(Usually, from what we observed, there are no four-wheeled vehicles used by criminals. Usually, they use motorcycles. That is why we focus more on motorcycles considering that these are the vehicles that are often used [by criminals], there are no four-wheeled vehicles used in shooting incidents.)

However, Parilla further clarified that this did not mean that they would not check four-wheeled vehicles as they have a profiler in every team conducting checkpoints.

This profiler is responsible in looking after vehicles that possibly transport firearms or other deadly weapons.

Since checkpoints would form queues of vehicles in the area, Parilla said that they would implement necessary adjustments, especially if the checkpoint would happen during peak hours. 

During peak hours, Parilla said that they would random checks but when not, he added that they would check all passing motor vehicles and motorcycles in their respective stations.

Parilla said that starting Sunday midnight, January 9, 2022, at least 12 police units conducted simultaneous checkpoints which went well and orderly. These units will hold checkpoints twice a day.

He added that there were no major incidents that transpired in the operation as people were compliant and already aware of the existing checkpoints.

“With utmost respect ang atoang paagi sa conduct sa checkpoints. Bisan pag dili checkpoints as long as police matters, kinahanglan ang pulis matinahuron sa pagpatuman sa ilang trabaho,” Parilla said.

Police conduct daily checkpoints until June 8, 2022, as one of the safety measures for the coming 2022 polls, along with the implementation of nationwide gun ban.

Earlier, the Police Regional Office (PRO-7), released its press statement stating that there were no major incidents recorded in the first day implementation of the Comelec checkpoints on Sunday, January 9, 2022 in Central Visayas.

READ: Day 1 of Election Gun Ban: No Major Crimes reported in Central Visayas