Ifugao town PNP warns public of firecrackers

By Mhars B. Lihgawon

LAMUT, Ifugao -- The municipal police office here warned to the public against the use of firecrackers during the yuletide season saying these are dangerous to one’s health and limb.

In a radio interview, SPO2 Vermose Atluna said that if possible all residents should observe the “Iwas paputok” policy of the government for a safer and happy holiday season.

“People should refrain from buying destructive pyrotechnics to avoid unwanted accidents caused by these firecrackers that might lead to permanent disability or even death,” the police officer said.

Atluna said that during the past years their office recorded cases of accidents in the different barangays inflicted by these pyrotechnics particularly firecrackers.

“To avoid being a victim of firecrackers, celebrate the holiday season with your families in a productive way as others are doing,” he reiterated.

Meanwhile, Atluna disclosed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) was also tasked to strictly implement the Toy Gun ordinance of the municipality banning the purchase, sale, display and distribution of pellet toy guns particularly those that are exact replica of real guns.

“The ordinance states that it is prohibited for business establishments, ambulant vendors and for any person to display, sell or distribute toy guns that are exact replicas of real guns that use pellet as bullets,” Atluna explained.

The penalties for violating the provisions of the ordinance are as follows: for individuals arrested, first offense will be a fine of P1,000 while second offense, P 2,000 or six months imprisonment.

For establishments and ambulant vendors, the first offense is a fine of P2,000 while second offense is P2,500 or six months imprisonment at the discretion of the court.

Furthermore, a tipster shall be given 20 percent incentive from the collected fine in feeding the secret information to the police.

In case of confiscation, all confiscated toy guns shall be inventoried and kept under the custody of the operations unit of the local police to be burned during the first month of the quarter as a special activity of the Municipal Peace and Order Council.