WV has no stray bullet, less firecracker injuries

ILOILO CITY, Philippines — Citing zero stray bullet incident and minimal firecracker-related injuries, this year has been the most peaceful and successful celebration of the Christmas and New Year revelries, the Police Regional Office-6 (PRO-6) declared.

From December 16, 2016 to January 2, 2017, PRO-6 recorded 37 firecracker incidents that resulted to injuries of 38 persons, compared to 105 similar injuries in 2016 and 127 in 2015.

Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, PRO-6 spokesperson, noted that half of the victims were underage, or below 18 years old. If it’s any consolation, “injuries resulting to firecrackers are also considered minor,” he added.

Iloilo province registered the most number of firecracker-related incidents at 18, with Capiz coming in close with 16 incidents—resulting in 17 injuries—Iloilo City with two and Guimaras with one. Antique and Aklan provinces had zero firecracker-related injuries.

But while Region 6 had no case of stray bullet incident, it has reported five incidents of indiscriminate firing, but “all of the perpetrators were arrested,” Gorero said. Four of the arrested suspects were civilians, while one was a security guard.

Iloilo City and Iloilo province each had two of these cases of indiscriminate firing, while the fifth one was in Aklan. In 2016, there were four cases of stray bullet incidents in Western Visayas, and 11 in 2015.

Gorero said no fire incidents also took place as a result of revelry over the period covered, compared to four last year in the same period.

Meanwhile, the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) also considered the New Year and Christmas celebrations as “generally peaceful and orderly.”

ICPO spokesperson, Senior Inspector Shella Mae Sangrines said: “Since early noon of December 31, 2016, all personnel were accounted for and briefed of their field and patrol duties prior to full deployment to different areas and places of convergence.”

ICPO director, Senior Superintendent Remus Zacharias Canieso, also pointed out the involvement of other government agencies like the 301st Infantry Brigade of the Phil. Army, the Bureau of Fire Protection-6, the Iloilo City government, the barangay officials and different force multipliers who were of big help in attaining ICPO’s objective. — (FREEMAN)