Senators back ‘Doble Plaka’ Law amendments
Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa is pushing for the swift passage of the bill amending Republic Act 12235 or the “Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act.”
Dela Rosa stressed “the need to balance the welfare of the riding community and the intent to address the problem of ridingin-tandem.”
In sponsoring the Senate Bill 2555, contained in Committee Report No. 191, Dela Rosa said there’s a thin line between crime prevention and discrimination in the implementation of the law.
“There is nothing wrong with penalizing offenders for the crimes they have committed. However, it would be downright discriminatory to punish a whole sector for the sins committed by a few. The motorcycle-riding community has done more good than evil,” he said.
Dela Rosa said the motorcycle riding sector appeared to be singled out when RA 12235 was passed, thus calling for an amendment.
RA 11235, enacted in March 2019, aims to prevent the use of motorcycles in crimes by putting separate plates, was indefinitely suspended in April 2019 amid the clamor of motorcycle riders.
“As a motorcycle rider myself, I empathize with the clamor of my fellow riders who raised their concerns, arguing that the said law is, and I quote, — ‘discriminatory as it singles out motorcycles and seems to generalize that only motorcycle owners and riders have the propensity to commit a crime,’” he added.
SB 2555 aims to amend the section on the registration of motorcycles, using Radio Frequency Identification or RFID instead of the double plate, and more reasonable penalties, among others.
“We are hitting two birds with one stone: ensuring the safety of our fellow motorcycle riders while promoting the protection of the general public against unscrupulous individuals, those who would rather abuse the advantages of this two-wheeled instrument for their evil intentions,” Dela Rosa noted.
Senator Francis Tolentino, the bill’s sponsor, said the “Doble Plaka” requirement may pose a danger to riders as the additional plate will affect the aerodynamics of the motorcycles.
He lamented the discriminatory aspect of RA 11235 and the anxiety-inducing factor of its suspended implementation that has been jeopardizing innocent riders.
The measure contained in Committee Report No. 191 specifically calls for the following amendments to Doble Plaka Law:
Amending the section on registration of motorcycles, differentiating the case of new ownership from the case of subsequent sale, taking into consideration the several different modes by which ordinary people purchase a motorcycle, such as in the case of “assume balance” and repossessed motorcycles;
Installation of RFID sticker at the front portion of the motorcycle instead of the original decal plates to ensure the safety of our motorcycle riders;
Adjusting the period within which the owner or possessor of a motorcycle may report any loss of number plate or RFID sticker;
Adjusting the penalties of fine and imprisonment to a more reasonable amount and period; and;
Adjusting the transitory provision to 30 June 2025, for motorcycle owners not in conformity with the provisions of this Act to renew their registration, and December 31, 2025 for the LTO to produce, release, and issue the number of plates as required under this Act.
Tolentino said these would ensure the protection of motorcycle rides.
“A careful balancing is needed to address the legitimate concerns of the innocent riders,” he added.
Data from the Land Transportation Office showed there are more than 1.4 million motorcycles registered in the country.
Of the figure, only 132 motorcycles were used for crimes from the period of January to October 2023.
Aside from Dela Rosa, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri, and Senators Joel Villanueva, JV Ejercito and Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. have expressed their intention to become co-authors of the bill.