By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan/PNA
MANILA — With New Year’s Eve revelry just four days away, the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Thursday urged the public to avoid buying and using illegal and dangerous firecrackers to usher in 2019.
In support of this campaign, Eastern Police District (EPD) Director, Chief Supt. Bernabe Balba has ordered to intensify the drive against indiscriminate firing and use of illegal firecrackers during the Holiday season.
Balba said intensified intelligence efforts, in coordination with the city governments of Pasig, Marikina, Mandaluyong and San Juan, will be conducted to identify probable violators.
Police will also conduct preventive patrols to arrest or apprehend PNP and uniformed military personnel, members of law enforcement agencies and civilians involved in illegal discharge of their firearms, Balba added.
He reminded uniformed police officers will be dismissed from the service if they will be caught indiscriminately firing their service firearms.
He also ordered the intensified drive against illegal firecrackers within Metro-East in line with the orders of the PNP chief, Director General Oscar Albayalde and National Capital Region Police Office head Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar.
Balba said there are 20 community firecrackers zones within EPD’s area of responsibility–14 in Pasig, five in Mandaluyong, and one in San Juan.
Meanwhile, there are 12 designated fireworks display zones– seven in Pasig, one in Mandaluyong, and two each in Marikina and San Juan.
“The EPD has been very diligent in reminding and appealing to the public to be vigilant and watchful also against crime this Holiday season,” Balba added.
