Motorcycles may be required to put larger license plates for smooth identity to minimize crimes based on a new law signed by President Duterte. Republic Act No. 11235, or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act, additionally imposes prison terms and fines on using a motorcycle within the fee of a crime. “It is at this moment declared the State’s policy to comfy and guard its citizenry against crimes committed with motorcycles through larger, readable and color-coded quantity plates and identity marks,” the regulation examines.
Under the regulation, the Land Transportation Office is remitted to difficulty “bigger, readable and color-coded number plates” to be displayed at the motorbike’s back and front facets. The variety plates need to be readable from the front, back, and part of the motorbike from a distance of at least 15 meters. LTO must also devise a plate number coloration scheme for every area for brief and easy identification.
“The readable quantity plates must be displayed in both the back and front aspects of a motorbike and shall be made of appropriate and durable material as determined via the LTO,” the law read. RA 11235 directed the LTO to keep a registry of motorcycles in a database to facilitate information retrieval for authentic research and regulation enforcement purposes. The regulation also prohibits driving without quite a number or a readable number plate.
Violators could be punished by prison correctional (six months to six years in jail) or an exceptional ranging from P50,000 to P100,000. Law enforcers are empowered to seize and surrender the bike to the Philippine National Police. The bike owner can redeem the seized motorbike from the LTO upon evidence of ownership, the charge of seizure prices, and compliance with quite a number plate. If a bike is used inside the commission of a criminal offense constituting a grave legal, the owner, driver, backorder, or passenger who participated shall be punished with the aid of reclusion temporal (12 years to twenty years) to reclusion Perpetua (30 years).
If the crime is much less grave felony or mild criminal, the violators would be punished by prison correctional to prison mayor (six years to 12 years). If a seized bike is utilized in a criminal offense, the maximum penalty of the relevant crime may be imposed. The liability of reclusion Perpetua could be imposed if demise or severe bodily accidents result from unlawful use of the motorcycle. A bike utilized in a crime might be impounded through the PNP in an impounding location until the case’s termination. It will then be forfeited in prefer of the authorities, except the court docket reveals the defendant not guilty of the offense.
The Department of Interior and Local Government should ensure all local government devices would set aside land for a secured impounding center beneath the police’s manipulation. If a number plate is lost, damaged, or stolen, the owner must record it to the LTO and PNP and request an alternative range plate. Tampering, forging, or concealing a motorbike plate number can be punished by the prison mayor or a nice between P50,000 to P100,000 or both. The use of a stolen motorcycle quantity plate additionally includes the same punishment. The new law also prohibits the sale and importation of non-compliant bikes.
Initial funding of P150 million has been set apart for implementing the bike crime prevention regulation. A joint LTO and PNP Operations and Control Center may also facilitate the new law’s implementation. The middle, on the way to be beneath the supervision of the Department of Information and Communications Technology, ought to be operational and on hand 24 hours an afternoon and seven days every week. The law, signed using the President remaining March 8, takes effect 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper.
