4 nabbed in police prelude to campaign against firing guns

The campaign against firecrackers by authorities in Bicol has not discouraged firecracker vendors, like those in Legazpi City, from displaying their products hoping to cash in on New Year festivities. MARK ALVIC ESPLANA/INQUIRER SOUTHERN LUZON

NAGA CITY—The Bicol regional police has arrested at least four persons for indiscriminate gun firing and is preparing to charge at least 13 others for illegally selling firecrackers during the Christmas holiday.

According to a report released on Wednesday by the Philippine National Police regional office in Bicol, at least four civilians, including a government employee, were arrested for illegal discharge of firearms between Dec. 18 and 24.

The regional PNP report identified among those arrested as Antonio Nebres Carillo, 41, an employee of the Albay Provincial Engineering Office who fired his .45 cal. pistol in his residence in Barangay Cabangan, Camalig, Albay on Dec. 18.

Sixto Sales Balmores, 38, resident of Barangay Buracan, Sagnay, Camarines Sur, was arrested after he fired an improvised shotgun in his house on Dec. 18, hitting and wounding a certain Leon Balmores in the process.

Cesar Drio Cabug, 39, of Barangay Espinosa, Masbate City, was arrested by police after he fired his .22 cal.
revolver in a nightclub in Barangay Bagumbayan of the city while drinking with friends on Dec. 19.

Edmundo Curdo, of Tiwi, Albay, was arrested after he yielded to police and reported wounding a certain Salvador Dela Torre, a neighbor, in Barangay Mayong of the town when he fired an improvised gun on Dec. 24 during a Christmas Eve celebration.

Police officers in the regional force are also preparing to charge 13 vendors of illegal firecrackers who were arrested in separate instances during the Yuletide season, the PNP regional report said.

Safe holidays

The 13 vendors were arrested during operations conducted by the PNP regional force under its “Ligtas Paskuhan 2014” campaign in the Bicol provinces of Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Sorsogon and Masbate.

The regional police said at least P75,638 worth of illegal firecrackers were confiscated from the arrested vendors.

According to the police report, the firecracker vendors were arrested in two days of operations by the police conducted from Dec. 28-29. The vendors were selling mainly the banned firecracker picolo, police said.

The arrested vendors would be charged with violating Republic Act No. 7183, or An Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution and Use of Firecrackers and Other Pyrotechnic Devices. The charges would be filed as soon as work in the government resumes after New Year’s Day, the police report said.