Cops won’t implement smoke ban just yet
CEBU, Philippines — The Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 will conduct information drive before fully implementing Executive No. 26 or the nationwide smoking ban.
Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, director of PRO7, said they are willing to implement the law but they would need the help from local government units.
He said there should be awareness programs first before fully implementing that order.
EO 26, which provides for the Establishment of Smoke-Free Environments in Public and Enclosed Places, invoked the Clean Air Act of 199 and the Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003.
It was signed on May 16, 2017 and implemented on July 22.
The law states that individual violators will have to pay a fine of P500 up to P10,000 depending on the number of offenses while establishments caught may pay P5,000 or owners may face imprisonment of up to 30 days.
The law seeks to alleviate increasing number of Filipinos who die each year of tobacco-related diseases, not necessarily because they were users, but also due to inhaling second-hand smoke.
Sinas has implemented a smoking ban in the regional headquarters back in June 2018.
He said that those caught smoking were made to watch a 15-minute video, played on a loop, of the ill-effects of smoking.
“The RHQ is smoke-free, including the stations, and PNP area is smoke free,” Sinas said.
Sinas, who was also a command staff of former PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa, said smoking was also banned even in Camp Crame, the PNP national headquarters.
He said in order for it to be effective, a smoking area should be established. (FREEMAN)
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