• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Fireworks-related injuries in Negros Island Region (NIR) rose to 152 as of Jan. 4, surpassing last year’s records of 131 cases, records of the Department of Health (DOH) showed.
Negros Occidental topped the list of blast injuries at 115, followed by Negros Oriental, 30; Bacolod City, six; and Siquijor, one.
DOH-NIR Assistant Regional Director Adrian Hort Ramos said in a press briefing that some of the victims were under the influence of liquor.
The youngest victim was two years old while the oldest was 52.
Meanwhile, crime incidents during the New Year period remained generally manageable, PLt. Col. Joem Malong, spokesperson of Police Regional Office (PRO-NIR), said.
While the PRO-NIR has not recorded any incident of indiscriminate firing, policemen recovered a deformed slug of an unidentified firearm at a residence in Barangay Robles, La Castellana.
The bullet slug will be subjected to ballistic evaluation to establish the source and identify the responsible individual, Malong said.
Data of the PRO-NIR showed that law enforcement operations led to the seizure of 23,415 prohibited firecracker items.
More than 1,900 police personnel, supported by augmentation units and advocacy groups, were strategically deployed in transport hubs, tourist destinations, places of worship, and major convergence areas during the New Year holidays.
PCol. Criscente Tiguelo, police provincial director of Negros Oriental, said the peace and order situation across the province during holidays remained generally peaceful.
Tiguelo also presented about P150,000 worth of illegal, unlabeled, and prohibited firecrackers and improvised pyrotechnic devices confiscated by police.
The confiscated firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices will be destroyed on Jan. 7 during a simultaneous nationwide activity. | GB with PNA reports
