Authorities seize illegal firecrackers

POLICE seized boxes of banned firecrackers in a local store here, raising speculation that traders started to stockpile prohibited pyrotechnics for the coming holiday season.

"They've been displaying illegal firecrackers. Kadto lang unta nga gitugot sa balaud ang ilang ibaligya," said regional Department of Health (DOH) representative Jun Galban.

Joining hands with the DOH in confiscating undocumented contrabands in the city for the fast-approaching Christmas revelry are the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the local police authorities.

The first to yield is the Lincoln Trading along J.R. Borja Street found to have displayed deadly forms of firecrackers, which are prohibited by law.

Boxes of "bawang", "piccolos" and "fountains", among others, with unnamed manufacturers and unknown addresses were seized by the city's task force against distributors and peddlers of illegal firecrackers.

Henry Labajo, a caretaker of Lincoln Trading, said "bawang" is the most saleable stuff in their store among the single-blow firecrackers.

Labajo said the store sold at least 150 boxes of bawang last year.

After the seizure, however, Labajo said "we stand to lose around 100 boxes of bawang this year."

It was learned that the store's permit from the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame has only allowed Lincoln to sell firecrackers in limited amount and with proper documents.

The raiding team said pyrotechnics such as bawang, baby rocket, small triangle, pulling of string, paper cups, El Diablo, Judas' belt, sky rocket, sparklers, luces, fountains, jumbo regular and special, mabuhay, roman candle, airwolf, trompillo, whistle device and butterfly can be sold granting it had not been acquired from illegal manufacturers.

Galban said the DOH in Northern Mindanao has been in the streets in the hope of achieving a "zero-number" of firecracker victims for this year. (Louie S. Maliza)