Calabarzon cops seize 200,000 illegal firecrackers ahead of New Year

The Calabarzon police confiscated over 200,000 illegal firecrackers ahead of the New Year’s Eve celebrations on Tuesday, December 31.

In an exclusive report by John Consulta for 24 Oras on Friday, the Philippine National Police Regional Office 4-A demonstrated the hazards of illegal firecrackers.

One of the firecrackers tested was the “Kingkong,” slightly larger than the popular “5-Star” firecracker. When set off on a mannequin, it caused the mannequin to lose a finger on its left hand.

“Yung kamay natin, laman lang ‘yan, pwedeng yung damage nito aabot sa limang daliri niya, mauubos,” said Calabarzon Police chief Police Brigadier General Kenneth Paul Lucas.

(Our hands are made of flesh, and this firecracker could damage all five fingers.)

Another firecracker, the “kabase,” was tested on the mannequin’s right hand, resulting in severe damage to the fingers.

“Eh kung totoong kamay ng tao ito, siguradong hindi lang daliri ang putol kundi pati yung kamay niya mapuputol,” said Lucas.

(If this were a real human hand, it wouldn’t just sever the fingers but the entire hand.)

The Calabarzon police are also intensifying their campaign against the use of “boga,” an improvised noisemaker, following incidents in Cavite and Batangas involving children.

“Yung isa diyan pumutok yung improvised na boga na ‘yun sa kanyang mukha at muntik na mabulag yung biktima na ito,” said Lucas, advising parents to watch over their kids.

(In one case, the boga exploded in a child’s face, nearly blinding the victim.) — Vince Angelo Ferreras/DVM, GMA Integrated News