Saturday, December 08, 2007 Substandard X'mas lights seized from city stores` By Joy Romares-Sevilla
THE Consumer Welfare and Trade Regulation Division (CWTRD) of the regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reported Friday that a significant number of "substandard" Christmas lights have been confiscated from four of the biggest retail stores in Davao City.
Paciente E. Cubillas, senior trade and industry development specialist of the CWTRD-DTI-Southern Mindanao, said at the Kapihan sa PIA Friday that the confiscated products are "substandard," bearing no proper label, some do not have the ICC (Import Clearance Commodity) for imported items, and the PS (Product Standard) mark for the locally-made items.
In an interview, Cubillas said DTI-Southern Mindanao is preparing charges against the four big stores.
"The items were confiscated earlier than December," Cubillas said, adding that DTI will not disclose the names of the stores unless the appropriate charges are already filed.
"We cannot name names because the case are still under mediation," he said.
Cubillas also failed to reveal the worth of the confiscated items.
He added though that the products are under DTI -Southern Mindanao's custody.
"Ang SOP talaga namin (Our SOP) is to confiscate the substandard items, seal the stocks, summon the authorized person from the store, at pag hindi sila makapag-explain (and if they can't explain) or if they cannot present necessary papers, they will pay fine from P30,000 to P50,000," said Cubillas.
"Most of the confiscated items were from China," he added.
Cubillas, on the other hand, warned the public to be careful in buying Christmas lights and even electrical items.
"If you cannot see a PS mark or an ICC mark at the box or pack of the item, wag n'yo nang bilhin (don't buy it)," he said.
