Firecracker ban violators to be fined, apprehended, MMC warns

INQUIRER file photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila Council (MMC) chairman and Parañaque City Mayor Edwin Olivarez on Thursday said that violators of the firecracker ban in the National Capital Region (NCR) will be fined or arrested. 

Olivarez said  penalties can be imposed on both distributors or vendors and users of firecrackers in Metro Manila. 

He explained that penalties for violators will vary depending on the ordinances of the different local government units. 

“Di po natin pinayagang mag benta within Metro Manila yung mga retailer [ng] mga firecracker. Walang permit na binigay sa kanila at kapag po sila ay nahuli doon ay may violation at closure ng kanilang tindahan,” Olivarez said in an interview on GMA.

(We do not allow firecracker retailers to sell within Metro Manila. They were not issued permits and violators will have their establishments closed.)

“‘Yung mga gagamit…binigyan natin ng instruction ang mga barangay official to monitor at to apprehend, kasama po ‘yung ating mga kapulisan, para i-implement itong firecracker ban,” Olivarez added. 

(To implement the firecracker ban, we instructed barangay officials and the police to apprehend those who will be seen using firecrackers.)

Last December 23, MMC, made up of the 17 mayors in Metro Manila,  decided to ban firecrackers to avoid the risks of firecracker-related injuries and avert mass gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Before that, the Regional Peace and Order Council-NCR (RPOC-NCR) on December 15 passed a resolution urging local government units to implement a firecracker ban

Olivarez also detailed that violators of the firecracker ban in Parañaque City will be fined up to P5,000.  Repeat offenders may be detained. 

“Sa Parañaque po meron kaming first offense na one thousand pesos, second offense in three thousand, and third offense is five thousand. Kung pauli-ulit and violation meron pong subject to imprisonment.”

(In Parañaque, we are imposing a P1,000 fine for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense, and P5,000 for the third offense. Repeated violations will mean imprisonment.)

Manila Council, Edwin Olivarez

  gsg