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DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 4 Jan) – Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte said he will be reviving the distribution of cash rewards of up to P5,000 for those who give tips on violators of the city’s firecracker ban ordinance by next year.
Speaking at Sunday’s episode of Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa, Duterte said this would also include those who are reported to have fired their guns indiscriminately.
Duterte said there were still those who went against the law despite an executive order signed in 2001 and an ordinance in 2002.
Duterte also warned would-be violators that they are “treading dangerous ground” if they gambled with the law.
“If I find out that there was a death because of the firecracker and you sold the product, I will look for you and charge you not only for the ordinance but also for the life that was lost,” Duterte stressed.
The mayor said those who choose to break the law not only face the penalties but also the effect of a criminal record on their names, especially when they apply for a clearance at the National Bureau of Investigation and other agencies.
Among those arrested at this year’s festivities was a barangay kagawad from Mintal. Eduardo Santander was arrested shortly after midnight of January 1 after lighting up pyrotechnics for the New Year.
Santander told Super Radyo in an interview Saturday that he “was not aware” that pyrotechnics were included in the ordinance.
“I did not even try to evade the policemen when they approached me,” Santander said.
Asked about the effect of his arrest, Santander said he has become the primary advocate against firecrackers and fireworks after the incident.
