THE Philippine National Police (PNP) leadership headed by General Rommel Francisco D. Marbil has stepped-up its campaign against unauthorized users of sirens and blinkers as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. prohibited public officials and authorities from using these gadgets on their private vehicles.

Gen. Marbil agreed that ‘wang-wangs’ should be symbols of authority, not of abuse, and thus must not be used illegally by unauthorized persons, whether government officials or moneyed private citizens.

The Commander-in-Chief has also restricted the use of protocol license plates amid observation that they are being used to wantonly violate traffic rules and regulations.

PNP spokesperson, Colonel Jean S. Fajardo said Gen. Marbil has ordered the Highway Patrol Group to strictly enforce the presidential instruction in coordination with the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the Land Transportation Office.

She also batted for extended working hours of MMDA personnel and their local government unit counterparts so that they can assist the police in going after motorists using sirens and blinkers round-the-clock, especially in Metro Manila.

Although the PNP-Highway Patrol Group headed by Brigadier Gen. Alan M. Nazarro confiscated 2,546 blinkers, sirens, modified mufflers and other illegal attachments from January to March this year and 7,391 similar devices in 2023, officials said there is still much to be done in going after violators of Presidential Decree 96.

First is the need for the police force to have a dedicated hotline where the public can report the presence of motor vehicles and motorcycles using sirens and blinkers and other gadgets banned under PD 96.

Then there is the need to monitor the compliance of HPG units in apprehending the reported violators.

During the former Aquino administration from 2010 to 2016, PNP-HPG agents saw to it that they went to the address of the reported users of sirens and blinkers and once they found the violators, they were requested to remove their illegal gadgets on the spot.

Those accosted on the streets were also asked to remove their sirens and blinkers on the spot before the gadgets were confiscated upon issuance of proper receipts.

Then there is the need for the PNP-HPG to really do an honest-to-goodness campaign, thru their ‘visitorial powers,’ against sources or dealers of sirens and blinkers which can be easily bought in Banawe, Quezon City; Bangkal in Makati and Blumentritt in Sta. Cruz, Manila.

Col. Fajardo maintained that law enforcers and civilians are not authorized to use sirens and blinkers in their private vehicles.

It was President Marcos Jr.’s father who signed PD 96 in 1973.

This time, the young Marcos said he is committed to promote the welfare and well-being of the public by ensuring a safe and more organized road and traffic environment.

The Chief Executive said 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 environments.

The use of sirens and blinkers was noticed anew when MMDA personnel flagged down two vehicles, one of them a bullet-proof SUV carrying former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis ‘Chavit’ Singson for using the EDSA busway.

Netizens were quick to notice that although the drivers of the two vehicles were issued citation tickets which will cost them P5,000 each, the MMDA failed to cite Singson’s vehicle which has a blinker.

In the late 2000, Singson cried foul when PNP-HPG agents accosted his convoy for using sirens and blinkers in Manila. That day started a series of unfortunate events that led in the ouster of then President Joseph Estrada in February 2001.

President Marcos Jr. also issued Executive Order 56 which reduced the number of officials entitled to use protocol license plates from 16 to 14.

Included in the list are the President with number 1 designation; Vice President-2; Senate President-3; House Speaker-4; Chief Justice-5; Cabinet Secretaries-6; Senators-7; members of the House of Representatives-8; and Supreme Court Associates Justices-9.

The list also included the presiding justices of the court of appeals, tax appeals and Sandiganbayan as well as solicitors general, who were given the number 10; the chair of constitutional commission and ombudsman-11; and AFP and PNP chiefs-14.