Cool ‘cop look’ bad for hotheaded motorist

Joseph Philip Lu Bautista is caught on camera berating a motorist at a Taguig City intersection. —SCREENGRAB FROM FACEBOOK

For business consultant Joseph Philip Lu Bautista, a policeman’s cap and athletic shirt are quite comfortable and go quite well with a siren and car stickers of various Philippine National Police units.

But the 36-year-old Taguig City resident learned on Friday that the unauthorized use of police uniforms or insignia is prohibited by law and may warrant imprisonment of six to 12 years.

The Taguig City police said they would file charges against Bautista for violation of Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code, or the illegal use of uniforms and insignia.

The case stemmed from the complaint of motorist Pinky T. Ortiz with whom Bautista had a traffic dispute in Bonifacio Global City on Wednesday.

According to Ortiz, she and a companion were driving along McKinley Parkway and were about to cross Bonifacio Avenue when a passenger jeepney stopped in front of their vehicle, prompting them to stop as well.

Ortiz inadvertently blocked Bautista, who was in a white Toyota Fortuner (ABH 5257) on Bonifacio Avenue and was also turning right to McKinley.

“His bumper was directly in front of my window… It was as if he was intentionally trying to ram us,” Ortiz posted on Facebook.

The man in the Fortuner, who was later identified as Bautista, then honked his horn and turned on an emergency siren. Bautista also threatened Ortiz and her companion that he would bring them to jail for beating the red light.

Photos accompanying the post showed that Bautista’s vehicle had a PNP commemorative plate and several stickers bearing logos of different PNP units.

Ortiz’s post went viral with 31,000 shares and called the attention of the police who identified Bautista and located his home in Barangay Ususan.

When confronted by the police, Bautista admitted he was the man in the viral Facebook post but denied threatening Ortiz.

Bautista also admitted he was not a policeman and was only wearing the PNP athletic shirt and cap because “they were comfortable.”

But Chief Supt. Tomas Apolinario, Southern Police District director, said the unauthorized use of the uniforms and insignia of security forces is prohibited by the Revised Penal Code and Republic Act No. 493.

Apolinario said the Taguig police would request the Land Transportation Office to revoke Bautista’s driving license and cancel his car registration, as the use of police siren and stickers was in clear violation of the PNP standards.