Police are seeking a ban on the use of full-face helmet with tinted wind visor for motorcycle riders after records revealed that most of criminal incidents, the recent was the slay attempt on a Department of Transportation and Communication (DoTC) official in Pasig City, were perpetrated by men using such head gear.

Director General Jesus Verzosa, chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said that the move is part of the measures to deprive criminals, particularly hired assassins, from using the modus operandi of using motorcycle and other motorbike accessories in their illegal activities not only in Metro Manila but also in other urban areas across the country.

“I have already directed our police officials to come up with a grand strategy towards controlling the use of motorcycles being used by criminals and it might involve some new policies towards control of motorbike paraphernalia,” said Verzosa in an interview.

Verzosa said some police officials have already been coordinating with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) headed by Arturo Lomibao, who himself is a former PNP chief, for the drawing up of measures that would also include restricting the use of motorcycles in major thoroughfares and busy streets in Metro Manila and urban areas in the regions.

“Because of the presence of motorcycles in all streets of urban areas that makes the riders prone to accident and because even very small motorcycles are plying the streets, we must have distinctions on where to allow certain types of motorcycles. Some could be allowed only in subdivisions or residential areas and some of them can be allowed in highways,” said Verzosa.

Initially, the official said LTO officials are now reviewing the PNP proposal on helmet use in order to incorporate it on the agency’s policy on the use of helmet and other motorbike accessories.

What they want to simulate, Verzosa said, is the adoption of a law in Singapore and Vietnam in which the use of full-face helmet with tinted wind visor is strictly prohibited and is not being sold in the two countries.

He also assured that the safety of motorcycle riders will not be compromised if the helmet they have been using will be replaced with one that would reveal their face as part of the discussion is to come up with a detailed and safer head protection gear.

“These should be studied in the context of the happenings especially in the attacks on different personalities,” said Verzosa.