New Year revelry in Zamboanga 'generally peaceful'

ZAMBOANGA CITY -- The Philippine National Police (PNP) said the New Year celebration throughout the Zamboanga Peninsula was “generally peaceful” as the whole region recorded zero major incidents.

Chief Supt. Emmanuel Luis Licup, Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) director, on Tuesday said there was no reported major firecracker-related incident, including any injury from stray bullets, indiscriminate firing, or firecracker-related conflagration.

Licup attributed the achievement to the intensified implementation of “Ligtas Paskuhan 2018,” a security and public safety campaign designed to minimize crimes and incidents during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

The ban on the use and sale of firecrackers and pyrotechnics also contributed greatly to the campaign, the police official said.

Police apprehended 14 violators of the firecracker ban and more than 1,000 pieces of firecrackers worth PHP28,990 were confiscated in the entire region.

The Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) also confiscated 48 “Boga,” a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-type cannon, commonly used as a noisemaker.

The Department of Health (DOH) has repeatedly warned against the use of the noisemaker, which they deem to be dangerous as its use carries a risk of blast or burn injury.

Licup also acknowledged the support and cooperation of the public in the realization of peaceful and injury-free New Year celebration.

Meanwhile, Licup said that no one among the 9,000 policemen under PRO-9 was found to have fired their service firearms during the New Year’s revelry. (PNA)