MANILA, Philippines - Despite authorities’ strong warning against indiscriminate firing and a ban on powerful firecrackers, a four-year-old boy was killed by a stray bullet while at least 220 others were reported injured during the New Year’s Eve revelry nationwide.
Health Secretary Enrique Ona said at least 413 firecracker-related injuries were recorded from Dec. 21 up to yesterday.
Ona said the number is 17 percent lower than the 498 cases recorded during the same period last year, although he added it was too early to conclude that the government had a better campaign this year based on this report alone.
Officials said most of the victims were children and those who were merely watching the revelry.
The fatality, identified as Ranjelo Nimer, was hit by a stray bullet in his back while watching a fireworks display near his home in Welfareville Compound, Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City.
Nimer was rushed to the Mandaluyong City Medical Center but doctors failed to save him.
City police director Senior Superintendent Armando Bolalin has ordered a manhunt for the alleged gunman,
Emmanuel Janabon, a neighbor of the victim.
Case officer PO2 Jesus Visagre, of the Mandaluyong police-Criminal Investigation Unit, said neighbors and playmates were surprised when Nimer suddenly collapsed while watching fireworks display around 9 p.m.
Police said the bullet that hit Nimer might have come from a homemade shotgun.
“The suspect was reportedly seen firing a homemade shotgun upward while walking around the area,” Bolalin said.
Another victim of stray bullet, 7-year-old Nicole Ella, remained unconscious at the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City.
Ella’s father Aquilino said the bullet remained embedded in his daughter’s head. He said the bullet entered the top of her head, went past her left eye and stopped at her left cheek, which is now swollen.
Aquilino said the whole family was in front of their house in Tala, Caloocan City watching their neighbors use firecrackers when Stephanie suddenly collapsed.
“I thought she slipped so I immediately grabbed her. I was so shocked because blood was oozing from her head. We realized she was hit by a stray bullet,” he added.
He recalled how it broke his heart seeing his child falling into unconsciousness on their way to the Tala Hospital. She was later transferred to the East Avenue Medical Center.
“My daughter is a good girl. I hope she’s the last child to become a victim of stray bullet,” he said.
In Pasay City, stray bullets also wounded 11 persons, including a young boy and a pregnant woman, while 71 others sustained injuries from firecrackers.
Four of the wounded were identified as Andrew Chua; security guard Melvin Vidal, 29; Larry Pulvera, 24, and the pregnant Lalaine Mangundaya, 36.
Mangundaya, 36, of Baclaran, Parañaque, was rushed to San Juan De Dios Hospital due to a gunshot wound in her left shoulder.
All of the 11 victims were in stable condition.
City police chief Senior Superintendent Rodolfo Llorca said some of the bullets that hit the victims were recovered and would be subjected to ballistic examinations.
Meanwhile, Francis Flores, of Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City, was rushed to the Pasig City General Hospital for a bullet wound in the head.
Flores was celebrating with his friends and neighbors in front of his house when he suddenly felt numbness in the head shortly before midnight.
‘Cultural change’
Ona attributed the reduction in the firecracker-related injuries to the community fireworks displays organized in areas like Marikina, Makati, Pasig, Taguig and at the SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
He also commended DOH Assistant Secretary Eric Tayag for urging the public to usher in the New Year the “Gangnam Style way.”
“What Asec. Tayag did is actually symbolical – that we can change our ways of celebrating the New Year. We don’t have to use firecrackers to celebrate, that cultural change is possible,” Ona added.
DOH records showed 51 people sustained eye injuries while 14 had their fingers amputated due to firecrackers.
As in previous celebrations, piccolo accounted for 148 injuries, followed by kwitis at 57. The rest were due to unknown firecracker types.
Cases in Bulacan dropped
The number of firecracker-related injuries in Bulacan, the center for the manufacture of firecrackers and pyrotechnics materials, has dropped by more than half.
Records from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) showed that only 40 persons suffered injuries caused by firecrackers from Dec. 21 up to yesterday noon.
The number is less than half of the 86 injuries reported last year.
However, health officials said there is a possibility that the number might still increase because more injuries usually occur in the first two days of the year.
Joycelyn Gomez, head of the Provincial Public Health Office, said children usually suffer the most after the New Year revelry because they usually pick up and play with unexploded firecrackers.
For her part, Liz Mungcal, head of the PDRRMO, said they were still waiting for reports from other hospitals in the province.
A two-year old was reported to have been hit by a stray bullet in Baliuag town. Police were still investigating the incident as of press time.
In Central Luzon, at least 67 persons were wounded due to firecrackers, while two others were hit by stray bullets .
Senior Superintendent Eden Ugale, of Police Regional Office-3, said one of the victims of stray bullet was a 3-year-old boy of Barangay Bagong Nayon, Baliwag, Bulacan.
Ugale said the boy was watching a fireworks display when hit. He said most of the wounded were children and teenagers.
In Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, Mark Juliano, 24, was also hit by a stray bullet in the leg.
Reports showed firecracker-related injuries were recorded in Pampanga, 4; Tarlac, 1; Zambales, 5; Bataan, 2; Angeles City, 12, and Olongapo City, 3.
Most of the victims sustained injuries in their hands caused by prohibited and oversized firecrackers like “Goodbye Philippines,” pla-pla, super lolo, atomic bomb and piccolo.
For his part, PRO3 director Chief Superintendent Edgardo Ladao said the number of firecracker-related injuries is lower compared to last year’s 152 injuries.
Zero injuries in Davao, Ormoc
The cities of Davao in Mindanao and Ormoc in the Visayas both registered zero firecracker-related injury.
However, at least 106 men were arrested for violating the ban on firecrackers and pyrotechnic materials, which has been in effect for 12 years in Davao City.
City police chief Senior Supt. Ronald dela Rosa said the 106 arrested individuals included 49 adults and 57 minors who were turned over to the custody of the local social welfare department office.
Ma. Lourdes Lampong, of the Ormoc City health office, said the zero injury indicated the success of the local government’s drive against firecracker use.
Lampong said people have opted for a safer way of welcoming the New Year.
Authorities in Central Mindanao recorded 34 firecracker-related injuries during the New Year revelry, with South Cotabato and surrounding areas having the most number of incidents.
The DOH office in Region 12 said 15 of the victims belong to 10-15 age bracket, while the rest were pre-school children and adults.
Five of the victims were from Cotabato City, 14 from South Cotabato, two from General Santos City.
Police and the military said there is no report of injuries caused by indiscriminate firing or stray bullets in the region.
Authorities in the Caraga Region reported one fatality due to stray bullet and six firecracker-related injuries during the revelry.
Four babies were also born in the region at midnight. - With Janvic Mateo, Mike Frialde, Aie Balagtas See, Ric Sapnu, Eva Visperas, Dino Balabo, Edith Regalado, Roel Pareño, Cesar Ramirez, Ben Serrano, Raymund Catindig, Charlie Lagasca, Lalaine Jimenea, John Unson, Celso Amo, Teodoro Molina