PNP eyes nationwide ban on 'boga'

Its threat to public safety, its lack of government quality control, and the lack of guidelines for adult supervision will be the National Police's three-pronged legal basis for banning the noise-making PVC boga on a nationwide basis. Chief Superintendent Samuel Pagdilao Jr, spokesman of the Philippine National Police (PNP), said Friday that while there is no law banning the popular boga, the PNP will use this legal opinion to justify confiscating the gadgets. "The bottom line is that if it threatens the public, it can be placed under regulation," Pagdilao said in Filipino during an interview on dzXL radio. This developed as PNP chief Director Gen. Oscar Calderon reiterated his warning to police against using their firearms to welcome the New Year, saying erring cops face summary dismissal from the service. Calderon, in an interview on dzRH radio, said civilians also stand to lose their permits to carry firearms if they fire their guns during the New Year celebrations. Following a recommendation by Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the PNP Metro Manila unit banned Thursday the use of the boga in time for the New Year's celebrations. Health authorities said about 20 percent of firecracker-related injuries stemmed from use of boga, which uses denatured alcohol as fuel. Doctor Eric Tayag, head of the Health department's National Epidemiology Center, said Thursday that some of the boga already resemble rifles, and voiced fears it may be used for criminal activities. Pagdilao said that because denatured alcohol is not in the PNP list of regulated substances and because the boga is not a firearm, there had been no basis to regulate it. Following a meeting of the PNP Legal Service Thursday night, however, Pagdilao said the police can invoke a "summary abatement of nuisance." Under this, he said the police can confiscate an item if it poses a threat to the public. "The Health department already said this is harmful to the public and is a menace to public safety and public health," he said. Pagdilao said the second legal basis is the lack of government quality control that provides safety measures for the safe manufacture and operation of boga. The third is the lack of adult supervision in the operation of the boga. In most cases, he noted children are the ones operating the noise-making instrument. Meanwhile, Calderon reiterated his warning against policemen who insist on welcoming 2007 with their firearms. Calderon said Police Officer (PO) 1 Dominador Belac Jr, son of a Kalinga governor Dominador Belac Sr, is the "poster boy" of his warning as he has been slapped administrative charges already. Belac was arrested in Baguio City for firing his 9-mm. service firearm on Christmas Eve. Calderon said an investigation showed Belac was "partying" when he fired his weapon. "We'll see to it Belac is dismissed from the service. This is a gross violation of our specific instructions not to use guns to celebrate the New Year," Calderon said in an interview on dzRH radio.-GMANews.TV