CEBU CITY – Police in Central Visayas will start apprehending persons who will be caught using electronic cigarettes in public places.
Police Brig. Gen. Valeriano de Leon, chief of the Police Regional Office-Central Visayas, instructed his men to strictly implement President Duterte’s order banning the use of e-cigarettes in public places.
“I am ordering my men to arrest those who will smoke e-cigarettes and confiscate vapes in public places in Central Visayas region. As what President Duterte said, this is an issue of public health and your police have this obligation to protect the people from the negative effects of the smoke coming from vapers,” De Leon said.
Station commanders were ordered to coordinate with barangay captains so that barangay tanods (watchmen) can be utilized in implementing the order.
De Leon will lead today’s inspection of vape stores here.
“There is the Executive Order 26 and this will be used to run after these vapers. They should not do it in public, otherwise, they will end up in police stations,” the PRO7 director added.
The PRO7 starts arresting vapers as the first case of lung injury due to vaping was reported in Central Visayas.
Dr. Jaime Bernadas, director of Department of Health in Central Visayas, confirmed that a 16-year-old girl was admitted at the Mendero Medical Center in Consolacion, Cebu after complaining of difficulty in breathing. (Calvin Cordova)