PNP chief mulls total ban on firecrackers

MANILA, Philippines—Philippine National Police chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome on Saturday said he was considering the proposal of a total ban on fireworks to put a stop to New Year injuries.

Speaking at a press conference at the East Avenue Medical Center which was aired live at news channel ANC, Bartolome said that a law banning and not merely regulating the manufacture, distribution and use of fireworks would put a stop to injuries during the New Year revelry.

“Mas mabuti all together maihinto… Pag nireregulate may palusot lagi. Mas mabuti wala na talaga (It would be better to stop all together. When you regulate there will always be ways to dodge it. So it’s better if there’s none totally),” the PNP chief said.

He revealed that it was not easy closing down stalls selling illegal fireworks, which the Philippine National Police recently intensified, ahead of the New Year.

He chose as an example some stalls selling illegal firecrackers they ordered closed last week but was back in business roughly three hours after the raid.

Bartolome said that most of their operations were buy-bust operations as many of those selling the prohibited firecrackers hid them from plain view, tucked away in cabinets and containers.

Included in the lot are the dreaded “piccolos”, known to victimize majority of those injured in the past, which have been “repackaged, rebranded” to make them appear legal and safe to use. “When we opened the packages, they were piccolos,” said the PNP chief.

Another issue that constantly worried the police was that many of those selling fireworks were not properly trained. Bartolome said that those selling fireworks should all undergo training as improper handling of the pyrotechnic devices was “risky.”

He said that even in the disposal of unused firecrackers should be left to those trained, explaining that each police unit usually had a personnel trained to properly dispose fireworks.

“It is not enough to submerge the fireworks in water, and even that can be dangerous,” said Bartolome.

Establishments, no matter how big or small, should also be equipped with water and sand in case of fires, the PNP chief added.

Bartolome also warned the public that they too, could be violators of the Republic Act 7183 whether they manufactured, distributed, sold, or were just caught in possession or using illegal fireworks. To date, the PNP has arrested 45 violators of the said law, he said.

Regardless of whether anyone was injured, he said that violators would be fined P20,000-P30,000 and may be detained in a time span not lower than six months but not more than a year.

Meanwhile, to the trigger-happy, whether they are lawmen or private citizens, Bartolome also issued a warning.

To erring policemen who think they can get away with firing their guns amid the New Year revelries, he reminded that such actions would cost them their place in the PNP add to the criminal case they would face.

Bartolome said that gun-toting private citizens who will discharge their guns in celebration will also face criminal charges and the outright cancellations of their license and permit to carry firearms. He revealed that violators will be disqualified from acquiring licenses to firearms “for life.”