Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 4) — The Department of Health (DOH) on Thursday reported two more victims of stray bullets during the New Year festivities.
The agency said one of the victims is a 28-year-old male from Metro Manila, who fractured his second toe on his left foot. The other case is a 60-year-old male from Cordillera Administrative Region who fractured his left collarbone.
A separate report on Wednesday said a 60-year-old priest from Baguio City sustained a collarbone injury after being hit by a stray bullet during the New Year revelry. The DOH did not confirm if the two cases are the same due to patient privacy.
The total number of stray bullet injuries in the DOH tally now stands at three. The Philippine National Police (PNP) earlier reported over a dozen stray bullet injuries.
DOH Assistant Secretary Albert Domingo earlier said their numbers may vary from the PNP’s because there is a validation process to determine the cause of the injury.
“Sometimes kasi, the bullet injuries could actually be because of legitimate police operations. Ibig sabihin merong kriminal at authorized use of force, kinailangan gumamit ng baril,” he said.
“Ang importante sa epidemiology is ‘yung ating tinatanong lagi, paano ba nangyari ito? Ano ang mechanism of injury?” Domingo added.
[Translation: Sometimes, the bullet injuries could actually be because of legitimate police operations. This means there was a criminal and the use of force was authorized, there was a need to use a gun. The important thing in epidemiology is we always ask, how did this happen? What’s the mechanism of injury?]
The DOH said it is in close coordination with the PNP for all reports of stray bullet injuries.
As of Thursday morning, the agency logged 28 additional cases, 26 of these are fireworks-related injuries and two are stray bullet injuries.
The new cases bring the total count of injuries to 585. The DOH said 25, or 96%, of the new cases occurred at home, adding that 13 or 52% were caused by legal fireworks.
Of the total, 581 were caused by fireworks, one was due to \”watusi\” ingestion and the three were stray bullet injuries.
