Mayor wants to revoke bizwoman's permit after using fireworks

KIDAPAWAN CITY, Philippines - The Kidapawan City mayor is poised to cancel the permit of a businesswoman to operate a hotel for violating an executive order that outlawed the use of fireworks in special events and New Year's Day revelries.

Businesswoman Eva Benjamin, touted to have connections with the police and the military, was accused of using banned pyrotechnics during her birthday party at about 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 29 at the premises of the Eva’s Hotel here.    

City Mayor Joseph Evangelista, who issued Executive Order 065 in early December 2013, said he was irked by the incident, which was for him a serious provocation on the part of Benjamin.

Evangelista said the use of fireworks during the birthday party was also a show of disrespect for the city government.

There is also a local ordinance, passed several years ago by the Sangguniang Panglungsod, that bans the sale, or use of powerful firecrackers and pyrotechnics in all of the barangays here.

Evangelista, in a letter to Benjamin, said the city government has confirmed the use of fireworks in the celebration of the latter’s birthday party.

Among the guests to the party were the city’s police director, Supt. Leo Ajero, and Kidapawan City Vice-Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco, now subject of criticisms for doing nothing to prevent the fireworks display.

Radio stations here have since been hitting Ajero and Gantuangco on air.

Evangelista said he will cancel the permit of Benjamin to operate the Eva’s Hotel if he will find the businesswoman’s explanation on the incident without credence.