‘Napoles,’ ‘Yolanda’ to usher in New Year

MALOLOS CITY, Philippines - – Move over, “Osama bin Laden” and “Goodbye Philippines.”

Last year’s most powerful firecrackers have been replaced this holiday season by “Napoles” and “Yolanda.”

Police in Bulacan, the nation’s fireworks capital, are tracking down vendors selling illegal and oversized firecrackers named after alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim Napoles and the monster storm that ravaged Eastern Visayas last month.

Senior Superintendent Joel Orduna, Bulacan police director, yesterday said they received reports that “Napoles” and “Yolanda” were being sold in the province, “but we still have to see the items and make arrests.”

He said it is possible that Bulacan policemen have confiscated similar products in the past when they raided clandestine factories that manufactured powerful firecrackers.

Years ago, illegal firecrackers sold in the markets had names like “Bin Laden,” “Goodbye Gloria,” “Goodbye Philippines,” and even “Pacman” and “Pacquiao.”

These were named after al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden, embattled former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.

The dealers and retailers are the ones that give names to the explosive products. “They pick popular names for easy recall,” Orduna said.

He said Napoles and Yolanda could just be among the repackaged illegal firecrackers and vendors “are just giving their products new names.”