By Dominique Gabriel G. Bañaga

Bacolod City Councilor Caesar Distrito yesterday affirmed the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Traffic Management Unit (TMU) and the Bacolod Traffic Authority Office (BTAO) are required to comply with a recent  Philippine National Police (PNP) order demanding the apprehension of personal vehicles equipped with emergency sirens, or “wang wang,” and motorcycle with noisy mufflers.

In an interview with Watchmen Daily Journal yesterday morning, Distrito said it is “high time” the city’s law enforcers strictly implement existing law that prohibits the use of modified noisy mufflers.

He pointed out, the devices not only destroy the peace, but also create a disturbance for other motorists.

Distrito added, confiscated mufflers and private vehicles with sirens should be destroyed to serve as a warning to others.

“BTAO is expected to assist BCPO-TMU in implementing the order,” he noted.

Under the PNP’s “Oplan: Disiplinadong Driver,” Director General Ronald dela Rosa ordered the nationwide Highway Patrol Group (HPG) to apprehend private vehicles using “wang wang” and blinkers, pointing out, under the law, only police mobiles, firetrucks, and ambulances are allowed to use sirens and blinkers.

Politicians who use sirens are not exempt from apprehension, he added.

“We don’t care, even if they are politicians, we will still apprehend them because they violated the law,” the PNP chief affirmed.

Dela Rosa added, vehicles using high-powered lights, or LEDs, will also be apprehended./DGB, WDJ