ILOILO City – Illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices worth P154,775 were seized across Western Visayas during the holiday season. They were oversized and their ingredients exceeded the allowed volume, according to the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6).
Among the banned firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices confiscated were Five Star, Baby Camara, Stick Fish, Camara, bunches of Small Triangolo, Air Bomb, and Big Fountain.
According to Senior Superintendent Jomil John Trio, chief of PRO-6’s Regional Civil Security Unit, the seized items were simultaneously destroyed yesterday in the police stations of the areas where they were confiscated.
On the other hand, Senior Police Officer 2 Steven Salaya of the PRO-6’s Regional Explosive and Ordnance Division, said a firecracker must only contain .02 grams of ingredients (potassium nitrate, sulfur, etc.), or roughly one-third of a teaspoon.
“We have only one person arrested for violation of Republic Act (RA) 7183 or An Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, and Use of Firecrackers and other Pyrotechnic Devices. He was selling firecrackers not in the designated area and he had no permit,” said Trio.
The suspect was 42-year-old Glen Patalagsa of Barangay 1, Hinigaran, Negros Occidental. He was caught on New Year’s Eve at the municipal public market.
Under Section 4 of the law, “Any person desiring to manufacture, sell or distribute fireworks and other pyrotechnic devices shall file his application for the issuance of license or business permit with the Chief of the Philippine National Police, through the provincial director of the province where the business or project is located.”
Patalagsa was detained at the Hinigaran police station. He faced a charge for violating RA 7183.
Under Section 11 of the law, “Any person who manufactures, sells, distributes or uses firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices in violation of the provisions of this Act shall be punished by a fine of not less than P20,000 nor more than P30,000, or imprisonment of not less than six months nor more than one year, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court in addition to the cancellation of his license and business permit and the confiscation by the Government of his inventory or stock.”
The manufacture, sale, distribution and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic of such explosive content that could endanger life and limb is prohibited.
Determination of what constitutes prohibited firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices is vested with the Director-General of the Philippine National Police.
In Camp Delgado, headquarters of the PRO-6, yesterday the following seized firecrackers were destroyed:
* Five Star Triangolo (one bunch)
* Baby Camara (3 bunches)
* Stick Fish (one bunch)
* Camara (two bunches)
* Small Triangolo (two bunches)
* Small Triangolo (500 pieces)
* Air Bomb
* Camara (five pieces)
* Five Star (nine pieces)
* Fountain./PN
