A policeman inspects some of the firecrackers stored in a warehouse in Barangay Sto. Niño in Cebu City on Monday, December 30, 2019. | Photo courtesy of the Carbon Police Station
CEBU CITY, Philippines – The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas confiscated a total of P1.150 million worth of firecrackers that were sold outside the designated vending areas.
Police Brigadier General Ildebrandi Usana, deputy regional director for administration, said in an interview on Tuesday, December 31, 2019, that these firecrackers were confiscated during their intensified operations held since December 25.
Usana said that most of the confiscated firecrackers came from two Cebu City warehouses that were raised by the Carbon police on Dec. 27 and Dec. 29 respectively.
Confiscated firecrackers were valued at P800,000.
Read More: Carbon cops raid warehouse in Cebu City, seize P500K worth of illegal firecrackers
Another P150, 000 worth of firecrackers were confiscated from vendors in Lapu-Lapu City. Around P200, 000 others were taken from vendors in parts of Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental provinces.
Usana said he is expecting that the volume of confiscated firecrackers would still increase as they continue their operations a few hours before New Year’s Eve.
“Ang ating mga kapolisan ay nagpapatrolya, making sure na ang mga mamamayan ay magkaroon man ng celebration ay hindi makakasakit sa kanilang kapwa lalo na sa pag-gamit ng illegal firecrackers,” said Usana.
(Our police continue to patrol around the city to make sure that the Cebuanos will not be able to hurt others especially with their use of illegal firecrackers.)
Usana said that PRO-7 is aiming for zero casualties or lesser injuries this New Year’s Eve celebration.
While they go after illegal firecracker vendors, Usana said that buyers may also be arrested and charged for the violation of Republic Act 7183 or an Act regulating the sale, manufacture, distribution and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices. Violators of the law may be jailed for six to ten months.
Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, the newly appointed officer-in-charge (OIC) of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said they focused their anti-firecracker operations on Tuesday, Dec. 31, in malls and hotels in the city with firecracker stalls.
Soriano said they failed to confiscated prohibited firecrackers during their inspection.
“We will do our best para ma secure yung Cebu City community,” he said. / dcb