The Joint Task Force Covid Shield (JTF CV Shield) on Thursday said it is now crafting specific guidelines on motorcycle back-riding for couples passing through quarantine control points (QCPs).
JTF CV Shield commander, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, said the guidelines aim to ensure the health and safety of the riders and to make the policy fool-proof against those pretending to be couples.
“They would do every alibi that they can think of just to circumvent the rules even if they are fully aware that what they are doing is wrong,” Eleazar said in a statement sent to reporters.
Eleazar said he had already instructed the supervisors of the QCPs to check all the passing motorcycles in order to make sure that they are indeed couples.
“But in busy roads when the checking would cause traffic jams, they would be allowed to pass unchecked but would be subjected to random inspection at the mobile checkpoints that would be set up by the PNP-Highway Patrol Group (HPG),” he said.
Eleazar added that he has already coordinated with HPG director, Brig. Gen. Eliseo Cruz, to deploy personnel for the conduct of random mobile checkpoints especially in Metro Manila and other urban areas.
He also advised the motorcycle riders to ready their identification cards and other documents proving that they are indeed a couple and living in the same address to facilitate checking at the QCPs.
This came as the National Task Force (NTF) against Covid-19 has allowed motorcycle back-riding for couples starting Friday, in the wake of limited public transport operations under community quarantine protocols.
Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año said motorcycles allowed to have one back rider are those that are similar to the prototype of the provincial government of Bohol which has a barrier between the driver and the passenger, and a handle bar for the safety of the passenger.
In a Palace briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque also reminded married couples to bring a photocopy of their marriage certificate at checkpoints.
He added that only married couples will be allowed to travel via motorcycle back-riding. (PNA)