7 nabbed in police crackdown on illegal firecrackers

CAMP PACIANO RIZAL, Laguna- Seven people were arrested after police seized illegal firecrackers in separate operations in Laguna and Cavite provinces on Thursday.

In Laguna, Jeffrey Ambayec, 29, was arrested in his home in Barangay (village) Console 3 in San Pedro at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

Laguna police director Senior Superintendent Pascual Muǹoz said they secured a search warrant against Ambayec after police were tipped off about his huge stash of firecrackers.

The search yielded P500,000 worth of “piccolo” and “Goodbye Philippines” – both of which are in the Department of Health’s list of dangerous and prohibited firecrackers.

In Cavite, police arrested Rowena Oliver, Rudy dela Paz, Zaldy Saliva, Gerry Oliver, John Michael Abod, and Cris Mark Cabugnason in Barangay Bucandala III in Imus City at around 4:30 p.m., also on Thursday.

The police seized from the suspects 100 kilos of black powder believed to be an ingredient in making firecrackers, Cavite police director Senior Superintendent Alexander Rafael said.

Meanwhile, members of the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) police will simultaneously muzzle the government-issued firearms on Saturday to prevent indiscriminate firing during the New Year revelry.

Police chiefs and station commanders will lead their men in sealing gun barrels at the provincial and municipal police stations in the region.