W. Visayas records lowest firecracker injuries in 3 yrs

ILOILO CITY, Philippines - The zero-injury goal in celebrating Christmas and New Year may not have been achieved, but the Police Regional Office-6 was happy to note that the celebration in Western Visayas was relatively peaceful with fewer incidents of injuries compared to the last two years.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz, Jr., PRO-6 director, said only 54 firecracker-related injuries were recorded in the last holidays compared to 83 in 2011 and 73 in 2010, as reported by the PRO-6 Tactical Operations Center.

"Masaya po tayo at bumaba ang mga insidente ng mga nasaktan dahil sa mga paputok," Cruz said.

Negros Occidental province posted the highest firecracker-related incidents with 27, Guimaras province, Iloilo City and Bacolod City with six each, Iloilo province with five, Antique province with three and Aklan with one.

PRO-6 records also showed that there were 10 incidents of stray bullets, of which three persons were reported wounded but with no fatality.

The victims were Teresita Cansancio, 62, of Leon, Iloilo; Eduardo Tavarra, 74, of Tigbauan, Iloilo; and, Mayette Miranda, 28, of Kalibo, Aklan. Cansancio was hit on her left shoulder; Tavarra on his left arm, and Miranda on her right chest. They are now declared out of danger.

Cruz already ordered the investigation of stray bullet incidents for possible double or multiple reporting of a single illegal discharge of firearms.

In Iloilo City alone, reports stated that residents recovered 25 slugs or empty shells: Of these, Molo district has 14, La Paz district has five, while Jaro and Mandurriao districts have three each.

Last year 2011, the Iloilo City Police Office recovered 14 stray bullets believed to have been fired, as part of New Year’s revelry, while in 2010, three injuries due to stray bullet were recorded.

Meanwhile, the Firearms and Explosives Units of PRO-6 has reported the confiscation of illegal firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices with an estimated cost of P179,850.

The ICPO posted the highest confiscation of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices worth P117,000, the Negros Occidental Provincial Police Office with P15,000 worth of the items, Iloilo PPO with P15,500, Bacolod City also with P15,000, Aklan PPO (P11,060), Capiz PPO (P4,290) and Antique PPO (P500).

To recall, PRO-6 launched an aggressive information drive and police operations relative to government's "Iwas Paputok/Iwas Disgrasya" campaign.