PHILIPPINE National Police chief, General Rodolfo S. Azurin Jr. has ordered an intensified crackdown on establishments selling police and military uniforms even to unauthorized persons in the wake of several incidents wherein assassins targeting public officials were seen wearing PNP or Armed Forces uniforms to mislead the public.

In the aftermath of the killing of Negros Oriental Governor Roel R. Degamo and eight others last Saturday and the February 19 ambush in Bagabag, Nueva Viscaya which killed Aparri, Cagayan Vice Mayor Rommel Alameda and five others, the top cop said he wants his men nationwide to go after establishments wantonly selling police and military uniforms.

Executive Order No. 297, Series of 2000 prohibited the unauthorized manufacture, sale, distribution and use of uniforms, insignias and other accoutrements of the police and the military. The EO reinforced Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code which penalizes “any person who shall publicly and improperly make use of insignia, uniforms or dress pertaining to an office not held by such person or to a class or persons of which he or she is not a member.’

There have been complaints that AFP and PNP uniforms are being sold like candies in commercial establishments near the PNP and AFP national headquarters.

“Part of the ongoing investigation (regarding the Degamo and Vice Mayor Alameda cases) is that it seems that during the past two killings, parang nagiging normal na fixture na yung mga tumitira eh naka-uniform. That’s why we wanted to caution yung mga nagbebenta ng uniforms that they should only sell uniforms to active police and military men,” Gen. Azurin said.

The PNP chief said he has instructed his men to accost persons in police or military uniforms when they go to a private area on board civilian cars.

“Sa pulis, dapat ang dala mo eh mobile patrol pag papasok ka sa isang lugar. Kung hindi, they should be flagged down, questioned. That is part of our standard. Hindi porke naka-blinker ka at naka-uniform using a private vehicle eh ia-assume na sundalo na o pulis,” he said.

The top cop ordered the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group and all 17 Police Regional Offices to go after violators of EO No. 297.

In Western Visayas, Police Regional Office 6 director, Brigadier Gen. Leo M. Francisco has warned unauthorized stores to stop selling PNP uniforms or be targeted by police operations.

The official said that any establishment, plant or office in Western Visayas where the uniforms and other PNP items are illegally manufactured, stored, sold or distributed will face closure.

Brig. Gen. Francisco also ordered the PRO5 Regional Logistics and Research Development Division to inspect all stores selling uniforms in the region to see if they have authorization or Certificate of Conformity (COC) from the PNP.

Gen. Azurin said he wants these stores and establishments selling police uniforms to ask for an identification card from their customers before selling their products.

PNP Public Information Office chief, Colonel Redrico A. Maranan said that the PNP chief has also ordered the monitoring of online sellers of PNP uniforms and other accoutrements.

He said that the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group headed by Brig. Gen. Joel B. Doria has been given the task to go after illegal online sale of police uniforms since they could fall into wrong hands and used to violate the law.

Alameda, on his third term, and five of his companions were killed after their vehicle was shot in Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya. They were on their way to a Vice Mayors League meeting in Metro Manila graced by President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ R. Marcos Jr.

The assailants who were on board a white Mitsubishi Adventure with government plates blocked the highway near the MV Duque Elementary School in Bagabag town. Wearing pixelized uniforms, the gunmen strafed the official’s vehicle with automatic gunfire killing him and five others before fleeing.

Gen. Azurin said that follow-up investigation has led probers to the registered owner of the burnt getaway vehicle described as a Mitsubishi Adventure.

The PNP chief said that forensic technicians were able to restore the defaced chassis and engine numbers to establish positive identification of the vehicle. The recovered slugs and fired cartridges were also compared with other shooting incidents through the PNP’s Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS) and the results could lead to other persons of interest also., he said.

“The more persons of interest we could identify is a positive development in the case,” he added.

Gen. Azurin also thanked the local Army troops under Brig. Gen. Leo Peña for the big support they gave to the local police in tracking down the fleeing killers of Degamo.

“Na-trap yung mga suspects kaya iniwan nila yung mga sasakyan nila and we are very thankful to the AFP they augmented our pursuing troops,” he said.

As of press time, Gen. Azurin said he is yet to see the extra-judicial confession made by the captured suspects in the Degamo case but little by little, he said they will get to the mastermind.

He also said they are also looking into the source of the weapons seized from the suspects particularly their make and brand and serial numbers.

“We want to conduct a backtracking. Saan ba galing ang mga yun? Sino ba ang nagbenta? Dapat me control tayo. Sa gun dealers, hindi lang sa profit. Also look if your buyers are responsible gunholders. Yung sa Negros, nakakagulat at tinging ko parang bago at mas magaganda pa yung mga baril kesa sa ibang gamit namin,” Gen. Azurin said.

The PNP chief also renewed his instruction to all his regional directors to start identifying public officials in their areas who are in real danger of being assassinated. “Let’s not wait for the election period to be very strict in the implementation of our rules, pagsita ng mga blinkers, ng mga naka-uniforms na nakasakay sa mga unmarked vehicles. They should communicate with their VIPs kung saan sila pupunta para they can provide security in the activity area,” he said.

Gen. Azurin also called on some quarters speculating that the killing of Degamo is a ‘prelude to martial law.’ “Grabe naman sila. Isaisantabi muna natin sana mga personal na interest,” he said amid claims by some left-leaning groups regarding the matter.