USHERING IN WET NEW YEAR Fireworks light up the sky as Filipinos welcome the New Year amid a drizzle at SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City. The drizzle helped clear the sky of thick smoke that usually enveloped Metro Manila in the early morning of past New Year’s celebrations. EDWIN BACASMAS
It’s still a trigger-happy New Year for Filipinos, as stray bullet incidents more than doubled overnight as 2016 rolled in.
Based on data from the Philippine National Police, which has been keeping track of firecracker- and gun-related incidents over the holidays, of the 28 stray bullet incidents reported nationwide since Dec. 16, 15 occurred from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1, at the peak of New Year celebrations.
The PNP tallied only 13 stray bullet incidents from Dec. 16 to Dec. 30.
Thankfully, no fatalities have been monitored as yet, but of the 17 people injured due to stray bullets since Dec. 16, four occurred on Dec. 31, seven on Jan. 1.
Six of the 17 victims are minors, half of whom were shot on the first day of the new year: 12-year-old Mary Clair de la Lilan, who was shot on her left foot in Barangay Capitol Site, Cebu province; 16-year-old Jean Angelica Galam of Bacarra, Ilocos Norte province, who was hit on her right arm, and 11-year-old Sarpina Jadjong, whose scalp was grazed by a bullet in Patikul, Sulu province.
On Dec. 16, the first day of the PNP’s monitoring of stray bullet incidents over the holidays, a 3-year-old was already reported injured, hit in the abdomen in Zamboanga del Norte province.
The PNP has also monitored eight incidents of illegal discharge of firearms, though only seven people have been arrested for it, including Metro Manila policeman PO1 Francis Nepomuceno Flake in Manila, and security guard Jerry Masaoay Divina in Abra province.
Two suspects of indiscriminate firing over the holidays remain at large. A case in Barangay Baduang, Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, against barangay chair Erol Cimatu Calivoso remains pending, though his own daughter submitted five fired cartridge cases from his gun as evidence.
Still under investigation is the shooting incident last Dec. 22 in Barangay Maggalang, Sariaya, Quezon province, which left two injured. The suspect, Marianito Alob, fled the scene.
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