THE Philippine National Police Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) has intensified its crackdown against unauthorized users of sirens and blinkers amid observations regarding the continuing presence of motorists who are using the banned gadgets in the streets and highways.

PNP-HPG director, Brigadier General William M. Segun said that on orders of PNP chief, General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, they are fully implementing Administrative Order 18 issued by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. last March 25.

Under AO 18, President Marcos said “it has been observed that the unauthorized and indiscriminate use of sirens, blinkers and other similar signaling or flashing devices has been rampant, causing traffic disruptions and unsafe road and traffic environment.”

Thus, he ordered that “all government officials and personnel” are now prohibited from using such devices, except official vehicles of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation and Philippine National Police; fire trucks, hospital ambulances and other emergency vehicles.

The Commander-in-Chief also said that these official vehicles should not use sirens, blinkers and other similar devices “unless in clearly appropriate circumstances.”

The PNP-HPG crackdown covers all drivers of motor vehicles equipped with sirens and blinkers and using them indiscriminately to inch they way into traffic jams as though they have a real emergency,

Brig. Gen. Segun said he has ordered his men to step-up their campaign against unauthorized users of sirens, blinkers and other illegal gadgets in the country.

Last week, the official said they conducted a simultaneous anti-wangwang operation in the northern part of the metropolis which led to the apprehension of 119 erring motor vehicle and motorcycle drivers who were all issued Temporary Operator’s Permit and Official Violation Receipt.

Brig. Gen. Segun said the operation also resulted in the confiscation of two prohibited LEG bars, two LED lights, two blinkers and one PNP logo/sticker attached to the windshield of a civilian motorist.

Four motor vehicles and one motorcycle were also impounded by the PNP-HPG operatives during the operation.

They include a BMW M3, a Toyota Land Cruiser, a Mitsubishi Grandis, a Mitsubishi Mirage and a Yamaha NMAX, all sporting unauthorized improvised license plates and with no registration papers.

Brig. Gen. Segun said the erring motorists were apprehended in Caloocan, Valenzuela and Malabon particularly along EDSA Monumento Circle, Rizal Avenue, Samson Road and Macarthur Highway.

Members of the PNP-HPG National Capital Region Highway Patrol Unit led by Colonel Joel B. Jucutan and the HPG Special Operations Division/Task Force Limbas under Col. Joel D. Casupanan were involved in the operation, the official added.

Brig. Gen. Segun said they also got support from the Metro Manila Development Authority and the Northern Police District headed by Colonel Josefino D. Ligan and the Caloocan City Police Station led by Col. Paul Jady D. Doles during the operation on Wednesday.

The PNP said that although their crackdown versus ‘wang-wang’ has been unrelenting, they really need Congress’ help in stopping the importation, sale and distribution of these gadgets.

They added that no existing law allows the police to arrest dealers and buyers of sirens and blinkers per se unless these gadgets are found to be attached to vehicles of unauthorized persons and are being used while driving.

Officials said that they need all the help they can get from lawmakers to sponsor a new law that will make it illegal for unauthorized persons to sell or buy these gadgets.

“Buying sirens, blinkers, and other banned gadgets in stores in Banawe, Sta. Cruz, Makati, and other areas in Metro Manila and the rest of the country are like buying candy in a sari-sari store.

No questions asked by the dealers from the customers,” a PNP-HPG officer assigned in Metro Manila told the Journal Group.

“We can’t raid these establishments in the absence of a law,” he explained.

Since the time of Gen. Marbil as PNP-HPG director in November 2021, the unit has already confiscated thousands of sirens, blinkers and unauthorized plates from drivers of motor vehicles and motorcycles.

The law does not exempt marked barangay patrol vehicles and those owned by private security agencies; thus, they can be apprehended anytime.

Once apprehended, the drivers of the vehicles found equipped with unauthorized sirens and blinkers are asked by the PNP-HPG to remove their gadgets. The gadgets are confiscated after official receipts are issued to the users by the PNP-HPG.

So far, members of the unit have accosted 16 vehicle owners found using unauthorized HPG ‘logo and stickers’ and confiscated 22 horns and sirens, 532 blinkers and 5 illegal mufflers in Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

PNP-HPG officers also issued 8,365 traffic violation tickets to offenders during the period.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Alfred P. Dalizon