Riding tandem should be criminalized asap

Crimes committed by tandem-riders have become more daring. We have snatchers, rapists, burglars, assassins and, now, “Martilyo Gangs” riding tandem.

It seems authorities are helpless to stop them. The police can hardly prevent, spot and stop these criminals because they are embedded in heavy traffic and busy thoroughfares, made incognito by their helmets. No wonder, not even a powerful CCTV can identify these “legally” masked men.

The solution is for Congress to enact a law that will empower the police to apprehend tandem-riders on sight and/or shoot-to-kill those who try to flee—meaning, nip the crime in the bud.

I appreciate the need for some families to save on their commute by riding tandem. However, economy should give way to public safety and dear life. Couples should understand that while they do save on money, some other lives are being lost to tandem-riders.

This is not a violation of their human right for, in the first place, the motorcycle was conceived as a vehicle for one rider, not for two or three, or even more in some cases. A human right ceases to be right when this right helps in the commission of crimes. In other countries, it is illegal for vans and trucks to sit riders in their open space, and neither is a private car

allowed to tow a stalled vehicle. And no one is complaining of his right being violated.

—POMPEYO S. PEDROCHE,

pspedroche@gmail.com