The Public Safety and Security Office (PSSO) is closely monitoring the cases filed against five recorded firecracker ban violators on New Year.

PSSO Head Angel Sumagaysay said on Monday that he gave directives to station commanders to press charges against violators of the city’s firecracker ban.

City Ordinance No. 060-02 penalizes violators with a fine of Php 1,000 or imprisonment of 20 days to one month, or both, for the first offense; a fine of Php 3,000 or imprisonment of one to three months, or both, for the second offense; and a fine of Php 5,000 or imprisonment of three to six months, or both, for the third offense.

“Ang akoang guidance didto sa memo kung pwde wala’y regular filing, mag-agwanta sila kung karon palang ang office hour sa prosecutor’s office. Pag na file na ang case, monitoron gyud nato, so hulat lang ta (My guidance in the memorandum is that if possible, there should be no regular filing. [They should be under custody] and wait when the Prosecutor’s Office will open. Once the case is filed, we will closely monitor it, so we just have to wait,” he said.),”

Sumagaysay added that the City Government of Davao did not fail to remind and inform the public about the existing fireworks ban.

“Sige lang man ta’g reiterate nga existing pa ang atoang ordinance kanang pag ban sa firecrakers yet nagpadayon lang gihapon sila, yet dili pud nato masulti nga bag-o na sila tungod kay publicly announced naman gyud na. Ang atoa lang unta kanang magiging disiplinado sila, respetuhon ang mga balaod (We keep reiterating that our ordinance banning firecrackers is still in effect, yet they continue to ignore it. We also cannot say that this is new to them because it has already been publicly announced. All we hope is that they will be disciplined and respect the law),” he said.

Aside from firecracker ban violators, Sumagaysay noted that the city is generally peaceful.

“So far no kung in relation sa celebration so far wala naman kadto lang sila. Nagpasalamat pud ta sa prompt action sa DCPO, before mag new year may reminders na nata nga aggressive gyud ang implementation monitoron ang tibuok Davao City kung naa ba gyud nag violate ani (So far, in relation to the celebration, we did not experience any untoward incidents except these firecracker ban violators. We are also thankful for the DCPO’s prompt action. Before the New Year, we issued reminders that there would be aggressive implementation and monitoring throughout Davao City for firecracker ban violators),” he said.

In a statement made during the Kapehan sa Davao, PCpt. Hazel Tuazon, spokesperson of the DCPO, said that they placed under custody the five individuals who were caught using firecrackers during the New Year and filed cases accordingly.

They are also bound to file cases under regular filing against identified individuals who violated the ordinance but were not immediately caught. CIO