Banned firecrackers seized in Divisoria

MANILA, Philippines - Police seized and destroyed a cache of banned firecrackers from a warehouse at a mall in Divisoria yesterday, raising speculation that traders are starting to stockpile prohibited pyrotechnics for the coming holiday season.

Some 18 large boxes of assorted firecrackers were discovered by roving security guards of the Divisoria Mall hidden among boxes of confectionery at a basement warehouse. The finding was immediately reported to the police who seized the boxes since no one claims ownership of the goods. When unpacked, the boxes contained banned firecrackers such as “piccolo” marked “Pacquiao Super MAA.” Piccolo has been banned by authorities following injuries suffered by its users, mostly children, due to premature explosion. However, the new “Pacquiao” brand is found longer and bigger than the ordinary piccolo.

“This new brand of piccolo is banking on the popularity of boxing icon Manny Pacquiao to attract buyers. However, with its larger make, this can cause more severe injury than the ordinary one,” said Meisic police station chief Superintendent Nelson Yabut.

Yabut led his policemen in the destruction of the banned firecrackers yesterday by soaking them in drums filled with water.

“The stockpiling of these firecrackers can ignite fire inside overheated warehouses as what happened on a warehouse in Bulacan last year that resulted in the loss of lives and property,” Yabut said. He tasked anti-crime chief SPO4 Ver Navarro to monitor the warehouses in Divisoria following intelligence reports that some unscrupulous businessmen are now starting to stockpile firecrackers this early for a bigger profit.

The seized firecrackers can fetch as much as P100,000 in the market, according to Yabut.