MANILA, Philippines — The Manila Police District (MPD) announced on Tuesday that it had closed down 14 vape shops in the city for operating without business permits.
Six shops were closed in Raxabago, two in Moriones, four in Santa Mesa, and one each in Pandacan and Binondo districts.
Lt. Col. Carlo Magno Manuel, chief of the MPD’s Public Information Office, said the closures were carried out not because of President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent verbal order to the Philippine National Police to arrest people who were vaping in public but because the vape shops had no business permits.
Arrests made
No executive issuance had followed President Duterte’s verbal directive, but Manuel said the MPD had proceeded to make arrests following the Nov. 20 order.
The PNP, however, had admitted that it did not know whether the order would allow the arrest of people vaping in designated smoking areas.
The admission followed lawmakers’ comments that the ban should be anchored on a law prohibiting vaping, the sale of vaporizers, or e-cigarettes, and products used for smoking from these devices.
In the absence of such a law, the PNP said it would enforce Duterte’s order following Executive Order No. 26, signed by the President in 2017 prohibiting smoking in public and enclosed places.
As for vaping, the PNP said people caught using vapes in public places would just be booked then released.
A Department of Health (DOH) and Food and Drug Administration order regulating vaping has been temporarily stopped by a Pasig court, but no one has challenged Mr. Duterte’s latest order after he has warned judges against blocking it.
1st vaping-injury patient
The current moves against e-cigarettes came after the DOH reported in mid-November the country’s first vaping-injury patient—a 16-year-old girl from the Visayas who had been smoking e-cigarettes for five months.
According to the Manila PIO, the city is enforcing City Ordinance No. 8521, or the Smoke-Free Ordinance of the City Government of Manila.
Signed into law in 2017, the ordinance prohibits smoking in city government buildings as well as public schools, hospitals and playgrounds.
It also bans smoking and the use of e-cigarettes within 100 meters of those locations.
A P2,000 fine is imposed for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense, and P5,000 for the third and succeeding offenses.
The MPD began conducting inspections on Nov. 20 to monitor the city’s enforcement of the ban on the importation and use of vapes.
Officers have visited 40 vape stores and shopping malls and given warnings to 26 vape shops.
The MPD has yet to release the total number of vape users arrested from the date of President Duterte’s order.
Designated smoking areas
Under City Ordinance No. 8521, smoking areas in city government buildings would be allowed provided they meet certain requirements: these should be located outside building premises but not within 10 meters of entrances and exits; food and drinks are not to be served; and signs containing graphic health warnings must be prominently displayed.