Act No.

2255
AN ACT PROHIBITING MANUFACTURE, POSSESSION, AND SALE OF DYNAMITE AND OTHER
EXPLOSIVES WITHOUT A SPECIAL PERMIT, PROVIDING A PENALTY THEREFORE, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES.

By authority of the United States, be it enacted by the Philippine Legislature, that:

Section 1. The manufacture, distribution, storage, use or possession of gunpowder, dynamite,

explosives, blasting supplies, or ingredients thereof, except in accordance with the provisions hereof
and of Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and ninety-nine, 1 as amended, is hereby declared
illegal: Provided, however, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent the
manufacture, purchase, importation or possession of dynamite, explosives or their ingredients by the
Army and Navy of the United States of America: Provided, further, That the Chief of Constabulary
may, upon application, under such rules and regulations as may be promulgated by him and
approved by the Secretary of the Interior 2 issue licenses as follows:

(a) Dealer's license, authorizing the importation, purchase, possession, sale, transfer, and general
business handling gunpowder, dynamite, explosives or their ingredients.

(b) Manufacturer's license, authorizing the manufacture of gunpowder, dynamite, explosives, or their
ingredients, or the manufacture and sale of fireworks for use on fiesta days, etc.

(c) Purchaser's license, authorizing the purchase and possession of dynamite, explosives or their
ingredients for use in mines, quarries, road construction, wrecking and for use in any other legal and
lawful occupation.

(d) Foreman's license, authorizing the purchase and possession of dynamite, explosives, or their
ingredients by workmen in mines, quarries, road construction, wrecking or for use in any other legal
and lawful public or private works.3

Section 2. Any person violating the provisions of the preceding section shall be punished by a fine of
not less than six hundred pesos nor more than two thousand pesos, and by imprisonment for not
less than three months nor more than two years, in the discretion of the court. 4

Section 3. This Act shall take effect on July first, nineteen hundred and thirteen.

Enacted, February 11, 1913.

Footnote

*
 As amended by Act 3023.

1
 Section 1 of Act 1499 provides:
Section 1. The use of dynamite or other explosive for the killing or taking of fish, or under water for
any purpose except in the execution of bona fide engineering work and the destruction of wrecks or
obstructions to navigation, shall be unlawful: Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be understood
to interfere with or prohibit the use of mechanical bombs for the killing of whales, crocodiles, sharks,
or other large dangerous fishes.

2
 Now Secretary of National Defense.

 Words in bold in the text above are amendments introduced by Act 3023, section 1, approved
3

March 8, 1922.

Statutory History of section 1:

Original text –

Section 1. The manufacture, [possession or sale, without special permit from the Director of
Constabulary, or senior inspector of the province, of dynamite or other high explosives, or their
components, for any use or purpose except in the execution of bona fide engineering and mining
work, and as provided in section one of Act Numbered Fourteen hundred and ninety-nine, as
amended, is hereby prohibited: Provided, however, That the provisions of this section shall not apply
to the Army, Navy or Marine Corps of the United States, or to pharmacies, drug stores or laboratories
employing such substances for medicinal or experimental purposes.] (Ed. Note: Words in brackets
were deleted in Act 3023, supra.)

 Words in bold in the text above are amendments introduced by Act 3023, section 1, approved
4

March 8, 1922.

Statutory History of section 1:

Original text –

Sec. 2. Any person violating the provisions of the preceding section shall be punished by a fine of not
[more than five hundred pesos, or by imprisonment for not less than thirty days, nor more than three
months, or by both such fine and imprisonment] in the discretion of the court. (Ed. Note: Words in
brackets were deleted in Act 3023, supra.)

The Lawphil Project - Arellano Law Foundation