The Highway Patrol Group (HPG) in Central Visayas on Sunday ordered local chief executives of local government units (LGU) in the region to immediately remove sirens and blinkers attached to their vehicles as they are no longer authorized to use them.

HPG-7 deputy chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Roel Villarin stressed that the order is specifically targeted towards elected officials — from governors to mayors — including non-elected officials.

To recall, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued Administrative Order 18, which stressed that the use of “any siren, bell, horn, whistle or similar gadgets that produce exceptionally loud or startling sound, including dome lights, blinkers, and other similar signaling or flashing devices to any motor vehicle” is not allowed.

Villarin disclosed that on 11 April, they apprehended some barangay service vehicles in Cebu City during their operations.

Barangay chairmen were summoned to the HPG-7 office and were told that they cannot use blinkers and sirens.

However, the order does not apply to vehicles used by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police (PNP), National Bureau of Investigation, fire trucks and hospital ambulances.

Villarin explained that the order also covers ambulances used by local governments, as long as they meet the Department of Health’s standards and stressed that emergency personnel should only use sirens and blinkers when responding to emergencies or transporting patients.

Villarin also cited a Philippine National Police-issued memorandum prohibiting unauthorized motorcycle escorts for VIPs, and politicians in the region accustomed to such escorts will have them recalled unless approved by the chief PNP after threat assessment.

He added that only trained personnel are allowed to serve as escorts, and those violating the order risk having their requests for police escort denied.