Seven individuals have been caught violating the newly implemented anti-smoking ordinance in Tagbilaran City, a police official said.

According to Tagbilaran police chief Supt. Patricio Degay, Jr., six persons were accosted for smoking cigarettes in public a day after the “Smoke-free Tagbilaran” initiative was launched on Tuesday.

Four of the six persons were students while one was a minor, said Degay.

The students were caught outside schools in Tagbilaran.

One man was caught smoking at the Integrated Bus Terminal in Barangay Dao on Friday.

However, Degay said that the seven individuals’ names were only listed as they were not fined.

Authorities have yet to be given citation tickets for violators of the smoking ban, Degay added.

Based on the ordinance, first-time violators are to be fined P500 while second and third-time violators are to be slapped with fees of P1,000 and P2,500, respectively.

The “Smoke-Free Tagbilaran” initiative was launched Tuesday at the CPG Sports Complex with students and other representatives from the city’s 15 barangays in attendance.

According to Tagbilaran City Administrator Leonides Borja, the city will be deploying marshals to help enforce the ordinance.

Business establishments were also told to designate a smoking area for their customers, he said. (AD)