Police reminds toy gun ban in San Pablo City

Police Sr. Insp. Julius B. Almeda, San Pablo City police station’s investigation division chief, is advising city folks who have plans of giving Christmas gifts for children to avoid toy guns. (Photo by davitydave/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

SAN PABLO CITY, Laguna – City residents have been reminded that toy guns are a no-no as Christmas gifts for children, according to a police official on Monday.

Police Sr. Insp. Julius B. Almeda, San Pablo City police station’s investigation division chief, is advising city folks who have plans of giving Christmas gifts for children to avoid toy guns.

The police official also cautioned traders preparing their stock inventory for  Christmas sale to “never sell any toy gun or the replica of any firearm.”

City Ordinance No. 2000–02 prohibits or bans the manufacture, selling, distribution and carrying of toy guns.

He said the city ordinance was enacted on Feb. 14, 2000 by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (city legislative council) that prohibits toy guns after police blotters, law enforcement journals, and even CCTV-captured incidents revealed toy guns and firearms replica had been used by criminals during robbery, hold-up, hostage-taking and theft cases.

The police official added that the local measure aims to stop the practice of converting or recycling metallic toy guns into “paltik” using live bullets or pellets.

Under the local law, cops have to remind sidewalk vendors, hawkers, stall holders, market tenants and traders, shops and malls to avoid displaying and selling toy guns or replicas of firearms.

The ordinance also directs law enforcers to confiscate these banned or prohibited items from the manufacturers, producers, sellers and traders.

(Ruben E. Taningco/PNA)