Davao City – A week before welcoming the New Year, Davao City mayor Rodrigo Duterte made it clear to the public that the city’s firecracker ordinance has no exemptions.
“The law is absolute. And it does not provide any exceptions whether you are just passing by Davao,” Duterte said during his weekly program Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa.
This as the mayor revealed that there are still those who violate the law particularly those who pass by Davao to sell firecrackers in other areas.
“Bawal man gyud. Ang problema diha kung moingon sila nga dalhon nila sa Tagum o sa ubang lugar kay pwede didto. Ang problema diri ang balaod man gud is absolute, (It is really prohibited. The problem there is when they say that they will bring it to Tagum or to other places where it is allowed. But the law is absolute),” Duterte said.
“Even if you say that you are just passing by, but you are selling it somewhere else, you’re caught here possessing firecrackers you will go to prison,” he said.
Ordinance 060-02, Series of 2002 prohibits “the Manufacture, Sale, Distribution, Possession or Use of Firecrackers or Pyrotechnic Devices and such other similar devices and the exploding of Firecrackers or other similar explosives within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City.”
“It shall be unlawful for any person or business establishment to manufacture, sell or offer for sale, distribute, possess or use any firecrackers or pyrotechnic device or such other similar devices within the territory of Davao City,” the ordinance read.
“It shall, likewise, be unlawful for any person to discharge or explode, or cause to discharge or to explode, any firecrackers, or any other explosive or to use any pyrotechnic device or any such other similar device, at anytime and anywhere within the territory of Davao City,” it read.
Duterte warns that he will order the police to arrest the violators and put them in jam-packed prison cells.
“Kaning nagabaligya kada gyud na tuig dili gyud matagam. Kada tuig naa na sila sa prisohan. Ako maglagot ko ninyo, akong ingnon ang pulis nga tanang madakpan ibutang og usa ka selda. Kanang igo lang sila magtindog. Wa nay pwede maghigda. Mokaon mo motindog, matulog mo motindog. Dutdut tamong tanan (Like these sellers who never learn. Every year they are in prison. I will order the police to put you all in one cell where you would be standing),” he said.
The ordinance said that for those who found violating the ordinance, the penalty for the first offense is a fine of P1,000 or imprisonment of not more than one month but not less than 20 days, or both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court.
For the second offense, a fine of P3,000 or imprisonment of not more than three months but not less than one month, or both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court; while a fine of P5,000 or imprisonment of not more than six months but not less three months, or both fine and imprisonment, at the discretion of the court for the third offense.
Davao City has been implementing the firecracker ban for 12 years already, a reason why the city has recorded zero-casualty from firecracker-related injuries. (davaotoday.com)
