The Philippine National Police-Highway Patrol Group (PNP-HPG) wants to regulate the sale of vehicle sirens, blinkers, and similar devices.

According to HPG Director Gen. Francisco Marbil, the law prohibits the installation of sirens and blinkers on unauthorized vehicles. However, it does not say anything about the sale of such devices.

“I hope it will be part of the legislative agenda of the incoming Congress to regulate the sale of blinkers and sirens,” he said in a radio interview.

“There is no problem with enforcement, the law is the problem, not the enforcement,” he added.

Presidential Decree 96, issued by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr, provides:

1. That it shall be unlawful for the owner or possessor of any motor vehicle to use or attach to his vehicle any siren, bell, horn, whistle, or other similar gadgets that produce exceptionally loud or startling sound, including domelights, blinkers and other similar signalling or flashing devices.

2. The gadgets or devices mentioned above may be attached to and use only on motor vehicles designated for official use by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, National Bureau of Investigation, Land Transportation Commission, Police Departments, Fire Departments, and hospital ambulances.

Any device or gadget installed or mounted on any motor vehicle or otherwise used in violation of this decree shall be subject to immediate confiscation and, in cases of a second and subsequent offenses, the offender shall be prosecuted for violation of this Decree before the military tribunal and, upon conviction thereof, shall suffer the penalty of imprisonment for six months and/or a fine of 600 pesos. In addition, the certificate of registration of the motor vehicle on which the unauthorized gadget or device herein mentioned is installed, mounted or used shall be cancelled or revoked.

Therefore, it is clearly illegal to use such devices for any other purposes. However, as pointed out by the PNP-HPG Chief, the law does not prohibit the sale of such devices to unauthorized individuals, making these devices very accessible.

featured image courtesy of GMA News