ORMOC CITY- Police authorities here seized prohibited firecrackers from a Chinese businessman worth P4 million on December 30.
James Sy, 28, however, immediately posted bail of P2,000 as he was charged for violations of Republic Act 7183 and Executive Order 28 issued by President Rodrigo Duterte, both edicts mandate for the regulation on the sale, distribution, and manufacture of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.
Sy was arrested during an operation conducted jointly by the members of the City Public Safety Company headed by Supt. Joel Camacho and Police Station 1 led by its chief Supt. Reynaldo Torlao on Dec.30.
The police were armed with two search warrants against Sy and a certain Juliana Co issued by Judge Carlos Arguelles, presiding judge of the Regional Trial Court based in Abuyog, Leyte.
Co, however, was not around when the police personnel conducted their raid at a cellular store owned by the suspects located along districts 5 and 7, this city.
Ormoc City Police Office Intelligence Division Chief Senior Insp. Ian Salvador Po said a surveillance against the suspects were earlier conducted which resulted in the discovery that they were in possession of banned firecrackers which they sold in volumes to their prospective clients.
Confiscated from the suspects were 217 boxes of various firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices with an estimated value of P4 million.
Sy, who could not speak the local dialect, did not give any comment.
Camacho said that not all items seized from the suspects were illegal. However, they were selling without the required permit. (ELVIE ROMAN-ROA)