Two persons were hit by stray bullets while 19 others suffered various injuries caused by firecracker explosions in Cebu and the Visayas over the Christmas holiday.
In Bohol, three persons were injured by firecrackers, bringing the cases in Central Visayas to 22, which is 35 percent higher than last year. Last year, only one case of stray bullet injuries was recorded in the region.
This year, the first stray bullet victim was flown from Ormoc City and was operated on in the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City for a fractured left femur (thigh bone).
Dr. Eric Tayag, health assistant secretary, said the victim was a 23-year-old man from Ormoc City in Leyte.
The victim, who was not named, was hit in the thigh while he was inside his home at around 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 23 according to Tayag in his Twitter account.
Another victim, Bertoldo Lucañas, 65, was hit by a stray bullet in his left leg while he was standing outside his house in barangay Mantuyong, Mandaue City, Cebu last Dec. 23. He was treated as an outpatient at the VSMMC.
In Argao town, southern Cebu, Cord Vlademir Chong, 28, of barangay Upper Anahaw was about to board his multicab when he was hit by a stray bullet in his left leg last Dec. 19. He was confined at the Isidro Kintanar Memorial Hospital.
STERN WARNING
The 35-percent rise in firecracker victims should serve as a warning for people to be more careful in celebrating the New Year, said Renan Cimafranca, head of the Dept. of Health – 7’s Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit (Resu).
He said he is still hopeful the figures will decrease by New Year.
The 22 firecracker injuries and two stray bullet cases in Cebu were for the period of Dec. 18 to 26. Resu recorded only 17 firecracker injuries and one stray bullet case last year.
Cimafranca said around 40 percent of the victims this Christmas were hit by firecrackers lighted by other people. Four sustained eye injuries and two victims suffered finger amputations.
The youngest victim was a 3-year-old boy and the oldest was a 65-year old-man, both from Cebu City.
Cimafranca said the injuries were caused by firecrackers called Kwitis, piccolo, pirate, sparkler, thick long, triangle, whistle bomb, and hotdog.
Generally peaceful
Aside from the fatal shooting of a mother and her adult son at home in Talisay City about 1:30 a.m. of Christmas day, and two other shooting incidents in Cebu City, the region was generally peaceful said Chief Supt. Danilo Constantino, director of the Police Regional Office 7.
He instructed policemen to tighten security for the coming New Year celebration especially that a long weekend is ahead.
Police will be conducting roving patrols of establishments, especially banks, near ATM booths and places where people gather.
Cebu City shooting
In Cebu City, a man was shot dead in front of the Miller Sanitarium in barangay Pahina San Nicolas.
The unidentified person, described as a mestizo in his 30s, wearing cargo pants and T-shirt was shot around 2 a.m. of December 25.
He was having a heated argument with a person onboard a motorcycle before the shooting happened.
The assailants reportedly fled to Carlock Street. Six empty shells were found at the crime scene.
In Alaska, Mambaling, a man was injured in a shooting in the evening of Christmas Day.
Israel Fortaleza del Rosario, 29, sustained gunshot wounds in different parts of his body.
His wife Melody said Israel was walking outside their house when two armed men shot him. Israel is recuperating in an undisclosed hospital.
In barangay Inayawan, Francis Guinitan, 39 was wounded in his feet when he was shot by an unidentified assailant.
Guinitan was seen arguing with somebody before the shooting./Fe Marie M. Dumaboc, Jhunnex Napallacan, Chito O. Aragon and Inquirer