PNP Chief Wants Multi-agency Task Force To Deal with Illegal Firecrackers

Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ricardo Marquez is mulling the creation of an inter-agency task force in a bid to control the entry of illegal firecrackers into the country.

“We should really involve all agencies of government on why Picollo (and other illegal firecrackers were) able to enter into the country,” he added.

This is necessary to ensure that Filipinos will be able to enjoy New Year’s revelry without casualties.

The number of firecracker-related injuries (FWRIs) recorded by the Department of Health since last Dec. 21 climbed to 839 after 79 more cases were reported by the DOH-Epidemiology Bureau as its monitoring and surveillance period entered its 14th and penultimate day at 6 a.m. Monday.

According to Dr. Lyndon Lee Suy, DOH spokesperson, the total number of FWRIs was still lower by 11 percent or 104 cases compared with the five-year average from 2010 to 2014 for the same period.

In comparison also with the 850 cases recorded for the same period last year (2015), the FWRIs from Dec. 21, 2015 to Jan. 4, 2016 were lower by 11 cases or 1 percent. (PNA) JBP/PFN/CLTC