Ramirez Wants to Regulate Drag Racing in Medellin

Medellin town Mayor Ricky Ramirez wants to regulate the drag racing, which is common in Medellin on Saturdays.

“We might as well regulate it and deploy marshals, di man gyud na sila mohunong ana. If we can’t beat it, let’s join them nalang matud pa,” said Ramirez in an interview.

Ramirez, in his Facebook account, told drag racers to come to his office to talk about it, offering to provide race marshals, a medic team with an ambulance, and others.

“Kamu ba nga taga BOGO nga hilig kaayu anang lumba sa motor unya magpundok dayun kada sabado sa gabii diha sa simangan sa central sa highway. Dayun baya ninyug sibat ug maagi ko. Gusto man gyud mu nga ari medellin maglumba kay tingali sad hayag man atong highway unya ang sa inyuha murag ang kalimutaw ray musiga pwes pagpundok mu ug pag organisar mug grupo dayun aria ko sa opisina kay himoan nato ug kasabotan nga matag sabado sa gabii ipahigayun nang inyung lumba sa motor,” read the mayor’s Facebook post dated last Sunday.

Ramirez said he would, however, collect certain fees for payment of the personnel he would deploy there as this is additional work for them.

Ramirez said this has been ongoing for a long time already and although the highway is usually empty of vehicles between 12 am to 1 am, the duration of the race, these racers are still exposed to danger because of the nature of this activity.

He said this is why he has offered to provide marshals to regulate traffic during the race.

The mayor said there are at least 200 people who gather on Saturday nights to watch and participate the event. At least 50 of them are racers, he said.

Ramirez said he believes these racers are from the neighboring Bogo City, and some from Daanbantayan as he already saw them going to these towns after the race. He added that Medellin police, for several times, tried to arrest these racers, but they always got away as their vehicles are faster than police cars.

He said the bets could go as much as P20,000, hence he believes that these racers can pay for the minimal fee he would be asking in exchange for the personnel Medellin would be giving them during the race.

“Mas maayo man ma-regulate like sa pista. Postingan nato og mga marshal ug ambulance. Bisag unsaon di gyud na sila mohawa, mao na’ng mas maayo naay supervision,” he said.

“Ug gusto pa sad mu amu sad irequest ang among suki nga tingoy funeral home magpada pod ug tao aron kinsa to ang nagkinahanglan ma process dayun,” said Ramirez, in his Facebook status.