Police to strictly prohibit illegal firecracker sale in Bulacan

Despite the absence of an executive order imposing a nationwide ban on firecrackers, Bulacan police said they will still strictly prohibit the manufacture and sale of illegal firecrackers in their province.

“We are strictly implementing the Republic Act 7183 regarding dito sa Firecrackers Law to make sure na ma-minimize 'yung mga insidente involving firecrackers,” Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat Jr., chief of Bulacan Provincial Police Office, said in a News To Go interview on Thursday.

“Usually kasi maraming nakikiusap na pagbigyan, pero this time, kapag nahuli talaga sila talagang hindi namin sila pagbibigyan,” he added.

Republic Act 7183 aims to regulate the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firecrackers, especially those that are considered illegal.

Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte still has no plans of implementing a firecracker ban in the whole country.

Dela Rosa admitted that he would have wanted a nationwide firecracker ban but Duterte was not yet sold to the idea.

“How I wish ‘yung firecracker ban (mai-implement). I tried to ask the President before. Sabi niya baka hindi pa handa ‘yung buong Pilipinas for that policy,” Dela Rosa said in a press briefing.

But with or without an executive order, Caramat said they will still observe the existing law and seize violators.

“What the police are doing is kung nahuli namin sila ay talagang kinukulong namin at sinasampahan ng kaso. So as of now, meron na po kaming anim na nahuling tao at sila po ay nasampahan ng kaso. [Pero] 'yun naman ay nakapagpiyansa na kaya hindi nakakulong,” Caramat said.

“Tinitignan [din] namin 'yung mga proper signages nila kung visible ba ito sa mga mamimili. At 'yung mga proper distances, dapat maobserbahan nila. Non-observance of all these, ito 'yung mga mandatory, ay pahihintuin namin sila or otherwise i-co-confiscate namin 'yung mga paninda nila,” he added. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News