PNP: Zero deaths from stray bullets in New Year festivities

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police on Tuesday announced that the there were no recorded casualties due to a stray bullet in the recent New Year festivities.

PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa, however, noted that 26 persons have been arrested for carrying firearms during the celebrations last weekend.

According to Dela Rosa, 20 civilians were arrested for illegal possession of firearms while the other six were from the police and the military.

Meanwhile, 74 persons were arrested for illegal possession of firecrackers while the police confiscated a total of P390,229 worth of illegal firecrackers.

The PNP chief attributed the decrease in casualties this year to President Rodrigo Duterte's issuance of Executive Order 28 which limits the use of firecrackers, as well as the support of local government units.

A total of 3,945 community fireworks display zones were set up nationwide in accordance with the president's order.

Dela Rosa also commended the public's vigilance against indiscriminate firing and the PNP's intensified campaign against the illegal manufacture and sale of firecrackers.

"I would like to congratulate our police personnel for the effective operations and campaign on if which resulted to an all time low incidence and casualties," Dela Rosa said.

The Department of Health recorded an all-time low of 191 firecracker-related injuries, which is 68 percent lower compared to the previous year.

The DOH had also credited Duterte's EO 28, which was implemented for the first time last weekend, for the lower number of firecracker injuries this year.

"We would like to thank first and foremost President Rodrigo Duterte for passing or signing Executive Order 28, which truly reinforced the efforts of the DOH and complimented by the efforts of other concerned agencies," Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a press briefing on Monday.

RELATED: Lower firecracker injuries credited to Duterte order