Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) director Col. Jonathan Cabal has issued an order to the province’s chiefs of police to confiscate vapes which are being used publicly, in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s ban on the public use of the devices which are also known as electronic cigarettes.

Cabal told the Chronicle that he received a directive from the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 on the e-cigarette ban amid health authorities’ confirmation of health hazards associated with vaping.

“Kunin yung vape, confiscate lang. Hindi naman criminal [offense] ‘yon,” said Cabal.

Police officers in the province have also been tasked to intensify monitoring in public areas, while also looking out for vape users.

“Pina-roving ko na [police] kaninang umaga pa,” said Cabal.

Cabal however noted that vaping is not as rampant in Bohol compared with other provinces such as Cebu.

The province’s top cop meanwhile has yet to get figures on the number of vaping stores in the province, as PRO 7 chief Brig. Gen. Valeriano De Leon directed officers to account all of the region’s vape stores to urge them to inform their customers on the vaping ban.

The Philippine National Police started its crackdown on public vaping on Wednesday, a day after Duterte’s order for the PNP to arrest those caught using e-cigarettes in public and his announcement on the ban of importation of vapes into the country.

The directive, particularly the outline on its implementation, however remains without basis other than Duterte’s verbal order, as the anticipated issuance of an executive order regarding the prohibition has not yet been executed as of this posting.

It was also still unclear whether or not vape owners can freely use their e-cigarettes in designated cigarette smoking areas in public spaces. (A. Doydora)