- PSSO chief says amending Firecracker Ban might help deter violators
THE PUBLIC Safety and Security Office (PSSO) proposed to increase the penalty of the Firecracker Ban Ordinance to deter violators following the incident of a Surigao businessman who lit pyrotechnics on New Year’s Eve.
PSSO chief Angel Sumagaysay said there might be a need to revisit City Ordinance No. 060-02, which prohibits the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.
“Syempre, one way to deter is to increase ang mga penalty,” Sumagaysay said in a sideline interview after the flag-raising ceremony on Monday, Jan. 6.
Enacted in 2002, the city’s Firecracker Ban imposes the following penalty: first-time offenders will pay P1,000 or face imprisonment 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.
However, Sumagaysay said that it was just a suggestion considering that Davaoeños are aware of and generally compliant with the ordinance.
Police authorities on Jan. 1 responded to the scene where the fireworks were seen being ignited and caught on a video that surfaced online.
A follow-up investigation identified the suspect named “Botyok,” who faces a charge of violating the city’s fireworks ordinance.
“Pero unta kung ipakita nato nga disiplinado ta, bisan kanang ordinance nga gagmay lang og penalty, absta atoa lang sundon na siya wala gyud nay problema (Hopefully, we could show that we are disciplined even if the ordinance only imposes a light penalty. If we following it, there would have been no problem),” Sumagaysay stressed.
Sumagaysay said the celebration of the holidays from Nov. 28 to Jan. 1 remained “very peaceful” and no significant incident impacted the peace and order of the city.
File photo by Bing Gonzales
