By Alfonso T. Ruda
 |
| Photo courtesy: Kenny Ong |
DIPOLOG CITY – This year’s observance of the New
Year celebration in Zamboanga del Norte was the best that the province had ever
experienced, according to a police official.
Senior
Superintendent James Buslig Mejia, provincial director of the Philippine
National Police (PNP) in Zamboanga del Norte said the reports submitted by the
different municipal police stations disclosed that nobody got injured during
the new year’s eve celebration.
Despite
the reported increase in the number of firecracker-related injuries in the
national level, Zamboanga del Norte has only three cases of firecracker-related
injuries.
Earlier,
Zamboanga del Norte Medical Center chief Dr. Romelo Vergara reported only three
patients admitted due to firecracker injuries.
Mejia
attributed the almost injury-free celebration to the intensified campaign of the
PNP against firecrackers.
It
can be recalled that the PNP had ordered muzzle-taping of all firearms issued
to policemen to avoid “illegal discharge” of their service firearms.
Moreover,
Sindangan Municipal Police station has also conducted a massive campaign against
selling of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices in the whole afternoon of Dec. 31
and was able to confiscate a pack of OG special triangle, 4 boxes of W026D, 3
boxes of Dadehualei, 5 boxes of sparklers, 2 boxes of St. Michael fireworks, 2
boxes of Corsair fireworks, and 8 boxes of dancing firecrackers abandoned at
the municipal market.
The
municipal police stations of Salug and Sergio Osmeña have also reported similar
feat in their campaign against firecrackers.
All
confiscated items are now at the custody of the police for proper disposition.
(PIA9)