Zamboanga: The Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula (PRO-9) on Monday reminded the public to strictly follow fireworks regulations for the New Year's Eve celebrations to ensure safety. PRO-9 Director Brig. Gen. Edwin Quilates issued the reminder as residents begin buying firecrackers in preparation for the Dec. 31 revelry.

According to Philippines News Agency, Quilates said firecrackers that exceed 0.2 grams of explosive content, are oversized, or have fuses that burn less than three seconds or more than six seconds are not allowed. "The use, sale, and possession of prohibited firecrackers are strictly banned," he said in a statement. Violators may be charged under Republic Act (RA) No. 7183, with penalties of a fine of up to PHP20,000 or imprisonment for six months to one year, he added.

RA 7183 is the law regulating the sale, manufacture, distribution, and use of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices. Quilates has ordered provincial and city directors to inspect all stores selling firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices to ensure compliance with RA 7183. Early on, the city government ordered the regulation of the use, sale, possession, distribution, and storage of consumer pyrotechnics in this city in accordance with the law.

Only authorized, licensed individuals, businesses, and permit holders may sell or distribute permitted pyrotechnics. On Dec. 24, authorities arrested a 47-year-old suspect in an entrapment in Barangay Camino Nuevo here for selling illegal pyrotechnic devices online. Some PHP500,000 worth of assorted pyrotechnics were confiscated from the suspect, a resident of the same village.