(Photo courtesy of PNP-ACG)
MANILA – The Philippine National Police (PNP) has arrested five online firecracker sellers since Dec. 19 in separate entrapment operations, a police official said on Thursday.
In a statement, Col. Jay Guillermo, chief of the PNP-Anti-Cybercrime Group’s (ACG) Cyber Response Unit, said the entrapment operation stemmed from the directive of the PNP leadership to intensify its drive against the illegal manufacture and sale of firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials.
“My personal take on this is that these can be used by criminals. They can buy firecrackers with a huge amount of gunpowder and if you combine them all, they can turn into explosives. There is a need to regulate the sale of these firecrackers so that we can monitor who buys them,” he said.
Guillermo said ACG operatives contacted online sellers for the purchase of firecrackers during the conduct of regular cyber patrol.
He identified the suspects as Jaymar Sandoval, 22, and Eugene Macasaet, 23, who were arrested in an entrapment operation at Barangay San Ramon in Dinalupihan, Bataan on Thursday morning.
Seized during the operation were two bundles of kwitis (rocket), one sawa 1,800 rounds firecracker, one box piccolo firecracker, and three bundles of five colors with the total amount of PHP5,300
At around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Victoria So, a female seller, met with the ACG undercover agent that resulted in her arrest in her house in Tondo, Manila.
Seized during the operation were a cellular phone, the marked money and 10 rims of prohibited firecrackers.
Two persons were recently arrested by ACG operatives in Caloocan City for selling firecrackers online.
Sabino Medenilla, 19, was arrested on Dec. 19, and Rodel Constantino, 39, was collared on Dec. 21. The suspects negotiated with ACG operatives posing as buyers of firecrackers.
Guillermo said the arrested suspects will be charged with violation of Republic Act No. 7183, or the “Act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution, and Use of Firecrackers and Pyrotechnic Devices” in relation to Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012.
For this year, Guillermo said there were four police operations conducted which resulted in the seize of PHP40,700 worth of firecrackers.
He discouraged the public from buying firecrackers sold online as this may endanger their lives.
Meanwhile, Interior Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. called on local government units (LGUs) to strictly enforce ordinances banning the use of illegal firecrackers to minimize, if not totally eliminate injuries for the New Year revelry.
Based on DILG data, Abalos said at least 1,210 LGUs already have ordinances banning the use of harmful firecrackers in their respective localities.
He commended the 35 LGUs that have complied with his recent call to pass ordinances on the measure.
“Walang saysay ang mga polisiyang ito kung hindi natin ma-implement sa ating mga barangay (These policies are useless if we can't implement them in our barangays),” he said. (PNA)
