Manila: A Philippine senator has filed a bill to prohibit “Batman and Robin” motorcycle riders, to curb the rising number of political assassinations committed using the vehicles.

The term refers to gunmen who ride pillion on a motorcycle when carrying out a killing — most of whom have evaded arrest and prosecution.

“This proposed law will allow Filipino policemen to flag down and stop men riding on motorcycles in pairs, which I call evil Batman and Robin tandem,” Senator Vicente Sotto said, referring to the two American comic characters popularised internationally as modern-day superheroes in Warner Brothers films.

“Motorcycle back-riders involved in assassinations, now commonly known in the Philippines as riding-in-tandem criminals, have been undertaking political killings with impunity. They could do it because they could easily escape arrest by leaving the scene of their crime with a motorcycle that could beat traffic jams,” Sotto told Gulf News.

“The proposed law might be looked at as a violation of human rights, but it could deter assassins, hired killers, and stop unnecessary political killings,” said Sotto, adding, “It would be for the good of many people.”

Violation of the proposed law, identified as Senate Bill 2344, carries six years of imprisonment and a fine of P20,000 (Dh1,666) for first offence and an additional P10,000 (Dh833) for every subsequent offence, Sotto said.

The proposed law exempts spouses, a parent riding with a child, or police and military officials, he added.

About 3,000 cases involved crimes perpetuated by two-man motorcycle riders in Metro Manila last year, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said, adding the number does not yet include cases in the provinces where incidents began more than five years ago.

Almost all cases of political killings perpetrated by motorcycle-rising assassins have remained unsolved, PNP admitted.

In reaction, human rights groups said that Sotto’s proposed law would not stop determined criminals who might pose as policemen and military men, or as spouses.

Relatives of victims have identified suspected hired killers on motorcycles as retired or active law enforcers, the rights activists said.

Law enforcement is hardly perfect in the Philippines, they added.

Many victims of motorcycle riding criminals have been political activists, government critics, lawyers, and government officials who were tasked to pursue powerful corrupt officials.