BAGUIO CITY – Operatives of the Baguio City Police Office successfully entrapped an online seller of illegal firecrackers on Christmas day.
BCPO Director Col. Ruel Tagel said they accosted the suspect after delivering four kinds of banned pyrotechnic devices to policemen at 4:55 p.m. last Dec. 25, 2024 at Upper Abanao Street, AZCKO barangay.
The sale was negotiated through the suspect’s Facebook account.
Confiscated were 260 pieces kwitis worth P5,200; three boxes Five Star worth P1,050; one pieces sawa with 500 rounds worth P1,500; and 100 pcs bawang worth P2,000 with a total cost of P9,750.
Earlier at 11:50 p.m. on December 24, the BCPO acted on a report of firecracker explosion at Sarok, Camp 7 resulting in the confiscation of two pieces of “boga” and 10 pieces of skyrockets (kwitis) from two male minors.
The concerned minors were warned and were turned over to their parents, who were also briefed on the ban on firecrackers.
Baguio logs four fireworks injuries as December 26
A total of four fireworks-related injuries have been recorded in the city as of 12 midnight of Dec. 26, 2024.
The City Health Services Office (CHSO) said the four victims were all minors and three of them were victimized by “boga” or an improvised noisemaker made out of polyvinyl pipe, which is among the devices banned under the law.
Two were injured while actually exploding the devices while two others were passive victims or not the actual users of the devices.
The victims were a 14-year-old male from Gabriela Silang who sustained an eye injury due to “boga); a nine-year-old male from Asin Road with a right thumb blast injury due to Five Star; a 10-year-old male from Alfonso Tabora with blast injuries in the abdomen, thigh and firearm due to boga; and a seven -year old male from Bakakeng Central who sustained eye injury again due to boga.
Mayor Benjamin Magalong expressed hopes that no more additional incidents will happen as he requested the Baguio City Police Office, Public Order and Safety Division and the barangays to work hand in hand in the implementation of the firecracker ban in the city.
