250 violators of Helmet Law arrested in Dagupan

“Apprehension, Fines Continue Against Violators”, says LTO's Director

By Mortz C. Ortigoza

DAGUPAN CITY – The director of the Land Transportation Office-Region-1 said that as of press time about 250 violators of the Motorcycle Helmet Acts of 2009 have been nabbed and fined here after the local government implemented an ordinance on the non-wearing of helmet.

 INSPECTION. Regional Director for Region-1 Teofilo Guadiz of the Land Transporation Office inspects lately the documents and franchises of buses at the                terminals for transport companies that ply from Dagupan City to San Fernando City,                La Union. Guadiz checks too the kabit rackets of operators where more than                         one buses used the same plate number that has franchised to ferry passengers.

            MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA

Lawyer Teofilo Guadiz said that most of the apprehended drivers were caught by his personnel violating Republic Act No. 10054 or Helmet Law in the downtown area here.

The national law mandates all motorcycle riders to wear standard protective motorcycle helmets while driving and providing penalties there.

“Iyan ang dahilan na ipakita namin na hindi namin ni-rerecognized iyong batas ng Dagupan City. Iyan po ay hindi ayon sa pambansang batas”.

Some sections of Ordinance No. 2013-2014 requires motorcycle riders to remove their motorcycle helmets upon entering the commercial district here and the exemption of wearing helmet during authorized parades and processions provided that the speed of their motorcycle is below 15 kilometres per hour.

Personnel of the LTO in Dagupan City.

He said an arrested owner of the motorcycle has to cough up almost P13, 000 because aside from the P1, 500 fines on the first offense on RA 10054, he is also charged of overloading for more than two of his riders, invalidity of official receipt and certification receipt (OR-CR), and others.

“Umabot ng P13,000 ang penalty. Pero ang puno’t dulo noon kaya nahuli iyon dahil walang helmet. Sumunod na lang iyong ibang violations“.

The national law imposes fines for violators at P1,500 for the first offense; P3,000 for the second offense, P5,000 for the thirds offense and P10,000 plus confiscation of driver’s license for the fourth and succeeding offenses.

He said the administration of Mayor Belen Fernandez should asked congress and not decide among themselves in amending the controversial law bloggers and media men called “8 Patently Idiotic Laws Passed by Philippine Politicians”, and “Dagupan City’s Stupid Law”.

“Kung gusto nilang maalis iyan amendahan ng kongreso. Hindi sa sariling bakod gagawa ka ng batas na sasalungat sa pambansang batas. Hindi namin recognized (Ordinance 2013-2014), tuloy-tuloy ang huli” he warned.

As proponent of the illegal ordinance, Guadiz continued, they should not bask on the recent decision of the Regional Trial Court here on its dismissal of the civil case petition for the nullity with preliminary injunction and issuance of a temporary restraining order (TRO) on the Ordinance what the tribunal has done was canned it because of technicalities and not on merits.

The petition was filed by retired Judge Victor Llamas Jr., a motorcycle buff.

Ordinance 2013-2014 was sponsored by lawyer and Councilor Jose NetuTamayo.

He and his colleague at the Sangguniang Panlungsod passed it and the mayor signed it into law to deter robbers, killers riding in tandem, and others malefactors in perpetuating their dastardly acts here.

But Regional Manager for Region 1 John Celeste of the National Irrigation Administration was not sold to the arguments of the proponents of the No-Helmet Law here:

“Paano naman kung nabangga ng truck o jeep o ibang sasakyan pagkatapos na-hospital o namatay kasi walang helmet, sino ang mananagot? Ang city government o konseho kaya?,” he posed.

Guadiz said earlier that tens of thousands of motorcycle riders who did not wear helmet died in motorcycle accidents all over the country.

The Department of Health also noted that nine of 10 riders declared dead-on-arrival in hospitals were not wearing helmets at the time of the accident.