The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) asked Tuesday the Southern Police District Office (SPDO), particularly the Parañaque City police, why robbery suspects managed to conduct a broad daylight robbery along Roxas Blvd. last November 1 despite the declaration of full alert status in the whole Metro Manila the day before.

NCRPO Regional Director Roberto Rosales asked SPDO Director Jaime Calungsod to look into the deployment of the local police that day.

Rosales ordered the SPDO to organize crack teams to conduct manhunt operations against the suspects who shot and seriously wounded three persons aboard a car.

He also ordered the Parañaque City police to closely coordinate with the Manila Police District in the conduct of their investigation and work on all leads for the immediate arrest of the suspects.

The NCRPO chief reiterated his earlier instruction to all district directors and chiefs of police to increase visibility patrols in shopping malls, transport terminals, major thoroughfares and busy intersections, and other places of convergence and vital installations.

Rosales said he already made instructions to all police commanders to intensify the checking of individuals riding on motorcycles in tandem as part of the NCRPO’s anti-criminality campaign, including the “No Plate, No Travel” policy.

He said when the NCRPO started the campaign, there was a remarkable decrease on crimes involving robbery suspects riding in tandem and it has been months since the last incident involving such modus operandi.

Earlier this year, to avert crimes committed by suspects riding on motorcycles in tandem, Rosales recommended to Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief, Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) Assistant Secretary Arturo Lomibao, to consider the use of bigger license plate for motorcycles for easy identification.

Rosales’ recommendation was for motorcycle license plates to be put in front and at the back of the motorcycle.

The new scheme proposed by Rosales also includes the use of stickers depicting the license plate number of the motorcycle on both sides of the vehicle.

Aside from the additional identification features on the motorcycle, the NCRPO chief further suggested the mandatory permanent printing, in very visible form, of the license plate corresponding to the motorcycle on the helmet and vest to be used by the rider and backride.

Early morning of Nov. 1, spouses Ruben Chua, 40, and wife Jocelyn, 40, together with their companion, Carmelita Cho, 69, were shot by two groups of motorcycle-riding suspects.

Reports said Ruben, together with his son, Denzel, 13, had just fetched his wife Jocelyn together with Carmelita at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport who arrived in the country coming from Guam.

While cruising north along Roxas Boulevard, Parañaque City, the two groups of motorcycle-riding suspects reportedly stopped their vehicles. Their backriders alighted and fired at the victims’ vehicle — a Nissan Vanette bearing plate number UFK-596.

The suspects then divested the victims of their belongings.