WITH only four days left before the New Year revelry, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde warned the public against buying and selling illegal firecrackers.
“Sa ating mga kababayan, bumili lang tayo ng kung ano ‘yung prescribed ng batas, kung ano ‘yung legal. Wag na nating ipilit ‘yung mga ganitong kalalaki [na paputok] dahil baka mamaya baka madisgrasya pa tayo,” he said after he inspected firecracker shops in Bocaue, Bulacan, considered the fireworks capital in the Philippines, on Friday, December 28.
(To our countrymen, let us buy only those allowed by law. Do not buy those huge firecrackers, or we could get hurt.)
Firecrackers that are prohibited by the PNP include piccolo, watusi, giant whistle bomb, giant bawang, large judas belt, super lolo or thunder lolo, atomic bomb, atomic big triangulo, pillbox, boga, kwiton, Goodbye Earth, Goodbye Bading, Hello Columbia, Coke-in-Can, kabasi, og, and other unlabeled and imported firecrackers.
Those found violating Republic Act No. 7183 or the act regulating the manufacture, sale, distribution, or use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic device, will pay a fine of from P20,000 to P30,000, or may face imprisonment of six months to one year.