Ban on face masks helpful in solving crimes – Police
Cebu City Police Office describes the initiative of Mandaue City of prohibiting motorists from wearing improper helmets and using bonnets as a good way to fight criminality.
Superintendent Artemio Ricabo, spokesperson and Deputy City Director for Administration in CCPO, said it would be very helpful in going after criminals if Cebu City will have its own ordinance banning the wearing of bonnets and masks that conceal the driver's identity.
"Mas maayo man nang wala'y cover. Naay helmet pero walay cover. Di lang sad nato idisregard ang helmet. Dako kaayo ning matabang sa pagpaubos sa riding in tandem cases sa Cebu City," Ricabo said.
He admitted that identifying motor-riding assailants is hard if their faces are covered with bonnets and face masks.
Senior Inspector Jonathan Taneo, chief of the Homicide Section, said that they can expedite investigation of cases if the face of an attacker is captured on closed-circuit television cameras.
The most recent case is the ambush-slay of RondaVice Mayor and lawyer Jonah John Ungab outside the Qimonda IT Center in the North Reclamation Area which houses the Cebu City Palace of Justice.
He was shot by two motor-riding gunmen and a witness said that the gunman was wearing a face mask while the driver was in a full-faced helmet.
Last Saturday, Mandaue City has started implementing the ordinance banning face masks and helmets that cover the face of the driver. Violators will have to pay a fine of P5,000 and/or suffer imprisonment of not less than six months but not more than one year.