The Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) reported that the New Year’s Day revelry was generally peaceful here, though several violations of the firecracker ban have been noted.
Col. Rexmel Reyes, ZCPO director, said they have not received a report of any untoward incident that took place in the city during the revelry.
There are 11 police stations and two mobile force companies that are under the ZCPO.
Reyes led the roving patrol together with the additional security forces from Regional Mobile Force Battalion-Zamboanga Peninsula, to assure the safety and security of the public while celebrating New Year’s Eve.
He said they also conducted random checkpoints in strategic areas aside from roving patrol.
However, it has been noted that several residents exploded firecrackers during the New Year revelry despite the ban on the sale and use of firecracker and pyrotechnic products.
Several residents in different villages exploded kwitis (rockets) and kwiton (giant rockets) during the revelry.
Hours before New Year’s Eve celebration, ZCPO operatives seized assorted types of firecrackers sold by unscrupulous individuals downtown.
The firecracker ban is pursuant to Ordinance 431 enacted in 2014 as a health and safety measure versus firecracker and pyrotechnic device-related injuries documented by the Department of Health and the Zamboanga City Medical Center during the holiday season.
Source: Philippines News Agency
