Ormoc native first victim of stray bullet of 2013 holiday season

DOH spokesperson Dr. Eric Tayag

MANILA, Philippines — Authorities have renewed their call against indiscriminate firing during the holiday revelry as the Department of Health (DOH) recorded the first case of stray bullet injury.

Likewise, health officials reiterated their warning against the use of firecrackers as the number of firework-related injuries rose to 41 as of 6 a.m. on Christmas Day. The DOH started counting firecracker injuries on Dec. 21.

Dr. Eric Tayag, health assistant secretary and National Epidemiology Center (NEC) director, said the first stray bullet victim was a 23-year-old man, who was not identified, from typhoon-ravaged Ormoc City in Leyte.

The victim was hit in the thigh by a stray bullet inside his own home around 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 23.

“Stray bullet victim from Ormoc is now at Vicente Sotto Medical Center in Cebu City for surgery of fractured left femur (thigh bone),” Tayag said in his twitter account.

Related Story:

Stray bullets hit 2 as countdown to New Year starts –DOH