Davao City – Mayor Rodrigo Duterte warned public commuters who insist to ride on ‘habal-habal’ and pedicabs or tricycles who are plying the national highway.
“Don’t expect that your hospital or funeral expenses will be covered once you meet an accident on the road riding a ‘habal-habal’ (single motorcycle) or pedicab,” Duterte said during his weekly Sunday program, Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa.
Last week the mayor already reprimanded pedicabs plying the national highway after a deadly mishap of a tricycle along Sirawan, Toril killed two last October 10.
Read related story: Duterte reprimands pedicabs plying national roads
Despite the warning, pedicabs and single motorcycles were reported to continue taking the national road if there were no law enforcers present.
Duterte has tasked the Traffic Management Council (TMC), police and even the military who are manning the checkpoints in Toril area to arrest those who will violate the ordinance.
Chapter 9, Section 71, Article J of the Code of Ordinances of Davao City, prohibits tricycles from operating on national highways.
“There will be no tricycle who will ply those routes if there are no passengers who will ride them. Now if you still ride them, that’s it. Don’t expect that you are covered because they are not insured,” Duterte said.
Duterte said that the pedicabs can never use the highways that is why they will not be insured.
The city also mulls on putting a TMC and police outposts in Toril area to watch over violators.
Duterte stressed the need for police visibility because there should be an armed authority.
Duterte also reminded the public who are taking the national highway to take extra precaution.
“If your driver will overspeed, hit him in the head. Or get the plate number once you get off the vehicle, I will immediately order for his arrest,” he said.
“My objective is to protect lives not just to arrest violators, no one should die needlessly,” Duterte said.(davaotoday.com)
