By Jennifer P. Rendon
Stores that are not authorized to sell police and military uniforms and paraphernalia run the risk of being closed.
Brigadier General Leo Francisco, Western Visayas police chief, issued the statement following an inspection of stores selling uniforms and paraphernalia intended for members of the Philippine National Police and other law-enforcement agencies.
The move was in consonance with the enforcement of Executive Order No. 297, S. 2000, (Regulating The Manufacture, Sale, Distribution and Use of PNP Uniforms, Insignias, and Other Accoutrements).
Of the nine stores inspected in the city and province of Iloilo, only one was authorized to do so.
The inspection was conducted as an offshoot of the killing of Governor Roel Degamo and eight others in Negros Oriental where some of the suspects were clad in military garb.
“We warned and told them to stop selling PNP uniforms and paraphernalia during the inspection dahil wala silang Certificate of Conformity (COC), Certificate of Authority to Sell (CAS) at no record of Logbook,” Francisco said.
He added that they would go back and conduct another round of inspections in the coming days.
“And if they continue to do such acts, we will make a report to the Directorate for Research and Development (DRD) in Camp Crame that will conduct a hearing and will call the store owners to present their sides or documents,” he said.
After due notice and hearing, the Uniform and Equipment Specification Board (UESB) of the DRD can recommend the immediate closure of the said stores and confiscation of the items, the region’s top cop added.
Francisco said the crackdown on unauthorized sellers is crucial for public safety.
“They should be regulated so that we can monitor and account for the proliferation of our uniforms,” he said.
Relatedly, Francisco said they would also run after civilians who are illegally wearing public uniforms and insignias.
Under the law, violators can be prosecuted for violation of Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code (Illegal Use of Uniforms or Insignia), which penalizes any person who shall publicly and improperly make use of insignias, uniforms, or any dress pertaining to an office not held by that person or to a class of persons of which he or she is not a member.
