Cops seize over 80 boxes of firecrackers, toy guns in Negros

The police in Negros Occidental seized 21 boxes of banned firecrackers and gun replicas in Kabankalan City and another 60 boxes of Piccolo and pop-pop firecrackers in Bacolod City on Tuesday. According to a report of the news site Visayan Daily Star on Wednesday, Police Inspector Vanessa Gayle Sonoy said the 21 boxes of prohibited firecrackers and the box of gun replicas were seized at a commercial establishment in Kabankalan City, during an inspection. On the other hand, Bacolod City Police Station 1 commander Chief Inspector Luisito Acebuche said the 60 boxes of pop-pop and piccolos were seized from the store in the city. Acebuche said the store owner will be charged for violation of the Firecracker Code of the Philippines. Under that law, common types of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices, which might be manufactured, sold, distributed and used include baby rocket, bawang, small triangulo, pulling of strings, paper caps, el Diablo, watusi, Judah’s belt, sky rocket or kwitis, luces, special roman candle, and trompillo. The law prohibits firecrackers like big triangle, super lolo, mother rocket, five-star, pla pla, Bin Laden, among others. Meanwhile, Negros Occidental police chief Senior Superintendent Allan Guisihan reminded motorists to avoid driving if they are under the influence of liquor. Guisihan said those caught driving while under the influence of liquor will be detained until they are sober. Their vehicles will also be impounded in city and municipal police stations, he said. Firecrackers are not toys Meanwhile, in Iloilo City, Western Visayas fire director Senior Superintendent Eleuterio Iturriaga exhorted parents to supervise their children if they cannot stop them from lighting firecrackers. “We need to remind our children of the bad effects of firecrackers once mishandled or misused," an article of The News Today quoted Iturriaga as saying. Iturriaga offered safety guidelines to prevent incidents: