THE DAVAO City Police Office (DCPO) said the Christmas and New Year celebrations ended with zero casualties and injuries from firecrackers and stray bullets.
However, in an interview with the city-owned Davao City Disaster Radio, DCPO spokesperson Capt. Hazel Tuazon said they recorded a violation of the Firecracker Ban in NHA Bangkal.
Between December 13 and January 1, a total of 132 improvised firecrackers known as lantaka and boga” were seized from violators. Police also confiscated 69 lantakas on New Year’s Eve.
Tuazon said most of the users were minors, so they coordinated with the Women and Children Protection Desk (WCPD) to bring the violators and their parents to the designated barangays and talk to social workers.
Enacted in 2002, the Firecracker Ban prohibits the manufacturing, distribution, sale, possession, and use of pyrotechnic devices in the city.
First-time offenders will be punished with P1,000 or imprisoned for 20 to 30 days, or both; second-time offenders will be fined P3,000 or imprisoned for one to three months, or both; and third-time offenders will be fined P5,000 or imprisoned for three to six months, or both.
“Bisan pa’g nahumana ang bag-ong tuig, naga-monitor gihapon ang atoang stations kay naa gihapon guro’y magpabuto kay naa pa’y mga lantaka (Even though the New Year’s celebration is over, our stations are monitoring because there may be people who will use lantaka),” she said.
