Thursday, December 25, 2008 4 of 6 retailers ‘not registered’
FOUR of six pyrotechnic retailers at the Toledo City terminal had no licenses to sell these, police said yesterday.
Chief Insp. Maribel Getigan, deputy chief of the Regional Firearms and Explosives Unit, said only Tony Datomanong and Roland Farro applied for a permit with their office. The rest of the stall owners reportedly did not have pending applications.
The six stalls went up in smoke Sunday morning after someone lit a firecracker and tossed it near the display. No one was hurt during the explosion, but the sound sent a flurry of people running away from the terminal.
Getigan said they will be coordinating with the Toledo City Police Station to study the possibility of filing charges against the violators.
There are 166 licensed retailers in Central Visayas with other applications pending.
As for manufacturers, there are only three in the region; two are registered in Lapu-Lapu City and one in Bohol.
Anyone caught violating the act regulating the sale, manufacture, distribution and use of pyrotechnic devices can face a fine ranging from P20,000 to P30,000 and imprisonment from six months to a year. Their permits will also be canceled.
Getigan and Roderos also showed samples of fireworks that were allowed by law. Getigan explained that if the item contained more than one third of a teaspoon of gunpowder, this was not allowed by law and should be confiscated by authorities.
They cited fireworks like the super lolo and the bigger Judas belts as some of the banned pyrotechnics.
Roderos also reminded his officers not to indiscriminately fire their guns during the holidays, especially on Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
Police officers are also expecting a P7,000 bonus on Dec. 29. Roderos said he will instruct finance officers not to release the bonuses if the police officer fails to have his issued firearm taped and signed by his immediate superior.
Taping gun muzzles is a measure to prevent officers from firing their guns indiscriminately. Upon inspection after the holidays, if the tape is no longer intact, the officer will face an administrative investigation. (MEA)
