Duterte Teaches Firecracker Ban Violators A Lesson

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte has given firecracker ban violators a good enough reason for them to follow the law next time around. After spending five days in jail, New Year was indeed a bombastic and unforgettable one for them.

Duterte said he had not been remiss in reminding Dabawenyos about the firecracker ban in Davao City. A total of 85 violators from different areas in the city were apprehended by the police for violating city ordinance 6002.

"Dugay na ko nag-ingon na this will be a long weekend for you if you go to jail for violating the firecracker ban but you did not believe my warnings so sorry na lang," Duterte said. Those who were arrested should have been released within 24 hours after their arrest but since it was a holiday and government offices were closed then the violators had to wait until this morning to be processed with the City Prosecutor's Office.

Aside from suffering the humiliation of being arrested and staying in jail for five days, those who are found guilty will have to pay a fine of P1,000 aside from the penalty of one month imprisonment.

Duterte said the firecracker ban was specifically imposed to protect the people's health. Hundreds of Filipinos welcome the new year in the hospitals every year due to firecracker-related injuries but Davao City has an almost zero-rate when it comes to firecracker incidents due to Duterte's political will.

Davao City has implemented the firecracker ban since the year 2000 but it was only in 2001 when the ordinance took effect.

VM Shows Iron Fist With Grace

(Acting Mayor) Vice Mayor Sara Duterte yesterday showed the Dabawenyos that she can have an iron fist just like her father Mayor Rodrigo Duterte but with a touch of grace, after she challenged a local billboard company to sue her for ordering the dismantling of a billboard located in SIR, Matina after it failed to comply with the required government permits.

Duterte was advised by the City Legal Office to sue the company but considering the slow bureaucratic process, she said it would be better to just order the demolition of the billboard. She said they can sue her in turn.

The company was given 3 days to dismantle the billboard. Otherwise, it would be the City Engineer's responsibility to dismantle the billboard at the expense of the owner. She however urged the barangay people to do the dismantling themselves and sell the steel and other materials they can salvage if the company fails to to comply with the order.