CAMP VICENTE LIM, Laguna – The Police Regional Office 4-A destroyed illegal firecrackers confiscated in the five provinces of the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) area in this camp on Saturday, December 30.
PRO 4-A Director Police Brig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas, who led the event, said they arrested two individuals and seized assorted illegal firecrackers worth P123,468 in 198 operations from December 16 to December 30.
PRO 4-A Director Police Brig. Gen. Paul Kenneth Lucas holds an illegal firecracker called ‘Goodbye Hamas’ which was among the banned pyrotechnics seized in the Calabarzon region destroyed in Camp Vicente Lim, Calamba City, Laguna on December 30. (Danny Estacio)
Lucas said seven persons are being treated due to injuries sustained from firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices.
He said the largest haul of illegal firecrackers, P1-million worth from a suspect, was made by the Regional Intelligence Division 4-A and Tanauan City Municipal Police Station on November 30 in Barangay Tambulong, Tanauan City, Batangas.
On December 28, the Regional Intelligence Division 4-A and the Los Baños, Laguna Municipal Police Station
seized P40,000 worth of illegal firecrackers from “Jester,” 30, in an entrapment operation in Barangay Timogan, Los Baños.
The suspect, who faces charges of violating Republic Act 7183 (An Act regulating the sale, distribution, and use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices), and pieces of evidence are under the custody of the Los Baños police.
Lucas thanked lawmen and the community for the successful operations. He urged the people to avoid using and report vendors of illegal firecrackers to authorities.
“I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the community members who have provided us valuable information and support not only on this particular operation but on other operations we have been conducting,” he said.
“To all our community, we need your cooperation to cease this illegal firecracker sale and distribution. You can help us by not patronizing illegal firecrackers and reporting to the nearest police station if any illegal vendor or establishment is selling illegal firecrackers. The PRO-Calabarzon remains committed to working collaboratively with our partners from different law enforcement agencies and the community to create a safer, secure, and peaceful New Year celebration throughout the region.”