Death of boy, 8, in Cordova: Pyro maker has no permit to operate

CEBU, Philippines - Following the death of an eight-year-old boy who was hit by exploding fireworks in Barangay San Miguel, Cordova, Cebu, the Police Regional Office-7 will invite the manufacturer for interrogation after it was learned that she has no permit to operate.

Senior Police Officer 2 Glen Facturan of the PRO-7 Firearms and Explosives Office said investigators have found out that Juliet Wahing’s manufacturer’s license already expired in January 2014 yet.

Facturan said the license is required in conducting a fireworks display. He said, though, that Wahing was able to present a renewed mayor’s permit, which is a step towards the renewal of her business permit.

“She was about to renew the manufacturer’s license,” he said.

Facturan, though, said that the approving body for fireworks manufacturers is the Camp Crame FEO and not their regional office.

 He said the process requires that Wahing should get a city police director’s endorsement addressed to the FEO-7, something that she has not done. 

If the endorsement is there already, Facturan said their office would be the one to forward it to the national headquarters in Camp Crame.

He said, though, that after what happened, there is a possibility that she would have her application for a manufacturer’s permit turned down by Camp Crame.

“With this incident, di mi katag-an kung i-approve ba sa Camp Crame kay we will submit an incident report to the chief of FEO,” he said.

Last Monday night, Sam Monteron, died after he was hit by several fireworks which rocketed towards the ground instead of up to the air.

The men who lit the fireworks, Jason Toquib, 31, and Joseph Berdin, 29, were arrested and turned over to the authorities.

Facturan said they have already received a directive to invite Wahing for an administrative investigation.

“It is for her to defend herself if it is true that she does not have the (manufacturer’s) license. But in the special report submitted by the Cordova police, it (license) has already expired,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senior Inspector Alexander Nuñez, Cordova Police Station chief, said that they heard that Wahing and the Monteron family already reached a settlement so no criminal complaint would be filed.

“Ganiha (yesterday), mura’g nagkasabot na sila, dili na lang mo-file ang pamilya,” he said.

He said, though, that they would still wait for the reglementary period to expire without the Monterons showing up before they would release Toquib and Berdin from police custody.

“But if they (Monteron family members) change their minds, we can file a case against them (Toquib and Berdin) anytime,” said Nuñez. — (FREEMAN)