OFF THE WIRE
http://www.visayandailystar.com/2011/September/02/topstory4.htm
No helmet: Cop gets ticket
BY ADRIAN NEMES III
A Bacolod City policeman was issued violation tickets by City Police Traffic Management Unit head, Chief Insp. Luisito Acebuche, yesterday for not wearing a helmet while driving his motorcycle Wednesday.
Police Officer 2 Marlon de la Peña assigned at the City Legal Office signed his violation ticket at the office of Bacolod City Police Director Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz in the presence of Investigation and Detective Management Branch chief, Insp. Homer Vargas.
Records from the TMU showed that 151 motorcycle drivers and riders have received citation tickets since Tuesday for violating city ordinance 476 or the “No Helmet, No Travel Policy”.
De la Paz said de la Peña was seen by the crew of ABS-CBN Bacolod at the junction of Gatuslao and Gonzaga streets at about 6:45 p.m. Wednesday without any helmet and reported it to them.
The case of de la Peña shows that the Bacolod police is serious in its campaign against non-wearing of helmets while driving or riding on motorcycles, he added.
De la Paz stressed that the City Police is implementing this campaign seriously to save lives and damage to properties. He also ordered Vargas to investigate and determine if de la Peña could face administrative sanctions for violating the helmet ordinance.
De la Paz said de la Peña should have served as a role model by abiding with the rules.
On Tuesday, the city police director ordered that all policemen, traffic aides and other law enforcers riding on motorcycles without helmets should be arrested. This was after citizens complained that they are not being apprehended.
He said the police will sustain this drive to save lives because accidents can be prevented if people follow traffic rules and regulations and observe defensive driving.*APN
