BLOODY RITUAL Filipino penitent Ruben Enaje, center, who has portrayed as Jesus Christ for 27 times, is nailed on the cross as he leads others in a reenactment of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ during Good Friday rituals in Cutud, Pampanga province. AP
MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-eight people were killed in separate incidents in the country during the Holy Week, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said Wednesday.
In its final report, the NDRRMC said 13 of the deaths were due to drowning, eight from vehicular accidents, four from gunshot wounds, two from fire and one stabbing incident.
There were also 583 injured, with most of them “minor injuries sustained by individuals who participated in various kinds of processions that occurred during the Holy Week”, the NDRRMC said.
The injuries include minor cuts, lacerations, bruises, among others, it said.
Two are still reported missing, and “lost to bodies of water,” the NDRRMC said.
The missing persons were identified as Apple Carion of Caguray village, Occidental Mindoro and Bonifacio Gautno of Sta. Magdalena village in Sorsogon.
The reported 60 various incidents monitored during the Holy Week included 21 vehicular accidents, 12 fire incidents, and 14 drowning incidents, the NDRRMC said.
The death toll in 2013 was lower compared to 2012 when the NDRRMC reported 32 fatalities, but with significantly lower record of injured persons at only 78 compared to more than 500 in 2013.
Most of the injured in 2012 were from vehicular accidents.
Most of the injured in 2013 were from the Black Nazarene procession on Good Friday in Quiapo, with 490 persons. The NDRRMC estimated one million attendees at the event.
The NDRRMC report also said that the Philippine National Police “provided maximum deployment of public safety services to motorists and general public” by conducting intensified security patrol assistance and as conducted anti-criminality awareness to the public by distributing flyers in terminals.