MANILA, Philippines - A teenager, who was suspected of firing a homemade shotgun that killed a 4-year-old boy during the New Year's Eve revelry, was arrested Tuesday night in Mandaluyong City.
Director Leonardo Espina, National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief, said Emmanuel Janabon, 19, was arrested by operatives of the Mandaluyong police.
Janabon allegedly fired a "sumpak" (homemade shotgun), accidentally hitting Ranjelo Nimer, a resident of Welfareville Compound, Barangay Addition Hills, Mandaluyong.
Appropriate charges are now being prepared against the Janabon.
Earlier reports said that a total of 11 cases of stray bullet hits were recorded in Metro Manila.
Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo, spokesperson of the Philippine National Police, said that a total of 40 people were hit by stray bullets nationwide as of Wednesday morning.
Cerbo said that they have yet to finalize the list as reports were still coming in from other police units in the provinces.
The Department of Health, meanwhile, said that a total of 413 people were hurt by firecrackers from December 21 to January 1. More than 200 of the figure were recorded during the New Year's Eve festivities.