4 Illegal firecracker makers arrested in Bulacan

BULACAN, Philippines —Four manufacturers of illegal firecrackers like Goodbye Philippines and pla pla were arrested during a police raid in Bocaue town on Sunday afternoon (Dec. 30).

One of the suspects, Blandino Cao, 50, is now being treated at the Rogaciano Memorial Hospital in Sta. Maria town, after sustaining injuries as he tried to resist arrest Bocaue police chief Supt. Amado Mendoza Jr. The three other suspects were not identified by police.

Mendoza said they caught the four suspects at 5:30 p.m. at their workshop in Sitio (subvillage) Bihunan, Barangay (village) Binang 1st following complaints from concerned neighbors.

Police seized seven reams and six packs of pla pla, four pieces of Goodbye Philippines, a sack of five-star firecrackers and 1,000 rounds of “sawa” (python) firecrackers.

Leah Alapide, leader of a Bocaue fireworks manufacturing and trading group, said they have been working with the police to arrest unlicensed makers of illegal fireworks. /muf