- CTOO denies violating ordinance at New Year’s event
The Davao City Police Office will investigate posts from netizens on social media alleging that the Firecrackers Ordinance Ban was violated during the New Year’s Eve concert on Dec. 21, 2023.
DCPO spokesperson Hazel Tuazon, during the AFP-PNP forum on Wednesday, said they will look further into this matter.
Jennifer Romero, the City Tourism Operations Officer, said during the same forum that the sparklers were just “an artistic interpretation of how we end the performance.”
Romero denied that its New Year’s Eve concert violated the Firecrackers Ordinance after some performers were seen using fireworks and flames in one of the highlights of the night.
“Parang sparkler lang siya sa cake, to come up with an artistic ending of the performance. This was relayed, na-discuss pud ni siya during our safety and security briefing (The sparkler is similar to the one place on the came so we can have an artistic ending of the performance),” Romero said.
Several netizens questioned the use of the materials during the event, which came from posts and live videos circulating on Facebook.
Romero said they did not defy the ordinance of the city which states under Section 1 of the Ordinance 060-02, also known as the Firecracker Ban, “to prohibit the manufacture, sale, distribution, possession, and use of firecrackers or pyrotechnic devices and such other similar devices and the exploding of firecrackers and other explosives, within Davao City in furtherance of public safety, peace, order and security of the community.”
“I also sought the statement from the event organizer, he’s been doing that even in 2017-2019 or prior to the pandemic,” she said.
She also said the office had secured fire and security safety permits approved by the security sector in preparation for the month-long celebration, particularly for the year-end performance held within the city.
The ordinance penalizes first offenders with a fine of P1,000 or imprisonment of 20 to 30 days, or both; second offenders with a fine of P3,000 or imprisonment of from one to three months or both; and third offenders, a fine of P5,000 or imprisonment of from three to six months, or both.
Photo screenshot from Pasko Fiesta sa Dabaw live
