More than a hundred people died in road crash incidents in the province of Iloilo in the first nine months of 2019.

The Iloilo Police Provincial Office (IPPO) recorded a total of 102 deaths due to road crashes from January to September this year.

Most of the incidents, according to the IPPO, involved motorcycle riders.

“Alarmed” by the number of casualties, IPPO Director Police Colonel Roland Vilela asked the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to deputize police personnel to apprehend traffic violators.

Velila said around 150 personnel underwent a two-day seminar at the IPPO headquarters in Camp Sumagaysay in the town of Sta. Barbara.

“They are allowed to confiscate driver’s licenses and impound vehicles in case of traffic violations,” Vilela said.

Running after traffic violators is one of Vilela’s top priorities. Last month, the IPPO apprehended 4,010 violators.

Vilela said the most common violations were driving without a valid license or with an expired license, failure to carry or with expired OR-CR, and driving without helmets.

Vilela assumed as IPPO director last Sept. 1. He replaced Police Colonel Marlon Tayaba.IMT