Cebu governor faces complaint for ‘wearing’ Swat uniform in AI post
CEBU CITY—For supposedly wearing a police Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) uniform without authority, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro is facing an administrative complaint filed by Byron Garcia, the brother of former Cebu governor Gwendolyn Garcia.
The complaint, which was received by the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor of Cebu on Nov. 21, accused Baricuatro of violating Article 179 of the Revised Penal Code, which prohibits the unauthorized use of uniforms and insignia reserved for public authorities.
In his affidavit, Garcia said Baricuatro posted a photo on her verified Facebook page on Nov. 10, in which she appeared to be wearing a Philippine National Police SWAT uniform. The image was part of her birthday post thanking the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) for surprising her at the Capitol grounds on Nov. 9.
According to Garcia, the attire in the photograph bore elements associated with official police gear, including PNP SWAT arm patches, a large “SWAT” marking on the chest, a Cebu Police Provincial Office emblem and other regulated badges and insignia.
He insisted that these items are issued exclusively to active PNP personnel assigned to SWAT units.
Garcia emphasized that Baricuatro is not a member or officer of the Philippine National Police and therefore has no authority to wear or display police uniforms.
‘Demolition tactic’
He argued that the act could mislead the public, undermine the authority of active police officers and create a false impression of police affiliation. A copy of the photo was submitted as evidence, and Garcia reserved the right to file additional documents to support the complaint.
Baricuatro, a first-time governor, belied the allegation, saying the image circulating online was AI-generated and not an actual photo of her wearing a SWAT uniform.
“The uniform shown is not even an authentic PH SWAT uniform,” she said in a Facebook post on Saturday.
The governor explained that the photo came from a birthday greeting prepared by the CPPO and “was never intended to portray me as wearing an official police uniform.”
She described the complaint as part of a political smear campaign.
“This case appears to be part of a demolition tactic by my political opponents… an ongoing attempt to undermine my leadership,” Baricuatro said.
Byron, who was jail administration consultant during Gwendolyn Garcia’s hold at the Capitol for over a decade, was a vocal critic of Baricuatro during the campaign for the midterm polls last May.
