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Fake police uniforms are being sold right outside the PNP headquarters
(Facebook/ Philippine National Police)
Being a police officer, or at least pretending to be one, is also more fun in the Philippines.
If you’re planning your Neil Perez Halloween costume as early as now, here’s an idea: There are police and military uniforms for sale right outside Camp Crame, also the headquarters of Philippine National Police (PNP), as reported by CNN Philippines.
Alternatively, you can even order a PNP badge online.
Buyer, beware though: Wearing a PNP uniform could get you jailed by the real cops.
There are currently several laws that prohibit the unauthorized use of police or military uniforms by civilians. Dating as far back as Republic Act 493, passed in 1950—the unauthorized manufacture, distribution, sale and use of military/police uniforms, insignia and badges against people who are not in the service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines is punishable by a fine of not less than PHP 100 and not exceeding PHP 2,000, or by imprisonment for not less than one month and not exceeding two years.
There is also Article 177 of the Revised Penal Code, which prohibits anyone from falsely representing himself as an officer, agent, or representative of any department or agency of the government.
But even with all these laws, incidents of civilian entities posing as law enforcement officers are not new in the Philippines, like this man who pretended to be a cop inside a mall. Rep. Raul Del Mar of Cebu City has sought to amend this bill with harsher penalties. Filed as House Bill 368, Rep. Del Mar seeks to upgrade the penalties to 10 years and a PHP 20,000 fine.
Remember: You can dress up as a cop, but there are rules to it.
