Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — The Department of Health (DOH) recorded 524 cases of firecracker-related incidents this holiday season.
This figure is 40 percent lower in comparison to last year’s 874, recorded from December 21 to January 2.
521 of the victims were wounded, while 3 ingested firecrackers.
A huge percentage of the victims were males and children below 15 years old—for these children, the illegal firecracker “piccolo” caused 177 of the injuries.
The health department said the National Capital Region posted 297 cases of injuries, making up 60 percent of the total number of casualties.
Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) recorded a lower figure, with 167 firecracker victims from December 16 to January 2.
They said there are three recorded incidents of indiscriminate firing — that is, guns being fired in the air during New Year’s celebrations.
The suspects in these incidents include two policemen and one military officer — identified as PO1 Ronel Pantig, PO1 Daniel Castillo, and Corporal Lovelyson Cutas.
Castillo and Cutas are now detained at the Manila Police District and Taguig City Police Station, respectively, while Pantig remains at large.
The NCRPO recorded three victims of stray bullets during the Christmas and New Year’s holiday period — a lower number of incidents compared to the same period in 2015, which posted 14 victims.
One of the victims is 15-year-old Malabon City resident Emmelyn Villanueva.
She was reportedly watching fireworks and taking selfies when a bullet hit her head.
Villanueva is now comatosed and is in critical condition.
DOH said Villanueva was hit by a falling bullet, likely from a gun fired during the New Year celebrations.
However, the Malabon Police are looking at another angle: they say Emilyn may have been hit by a bullet fired in a shooting incident at a nearby street.
The suspect is still at large — but police say they are looking for a certain “Pat” who fired a gun that night.
