City of San Fernando—At least 18 persons were injured due to improper handling of firecrackers as the police recorded four indiscriminate firing incidents during the New Years' Eve revelry in separate places in Central Luzon.
Police said a man was hit by a stray bullet in Nueva Ecija.
The incidents, police said, were reported in the provinces of Bulacan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga.
"No serious injuries, however, were recorded," said BGen. Valeriano De Leon, director of the Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3), in a statement.
De Leon attributed the declining number of firecracker injuries to the information campaign launched by the government, specifically in the countryside.
"We attributed the decreasing injuries to our massive information drive on the need to regulate or avoid the use of firecrackers and other pyrotechnic devices along with the widest dissemination of the “designated firecracker zones” imposed by the local government units." De Leon pointed out.
He said 4,000 policemen had been deployed ahead of the New Year revelry to ensure public safety from unauthorized pyro devices.
De Leon said no uniformed personnel were Involved in indiscriminate firing of their issued firearms in welcoming the new year.
Although there were reported indiscriminate firing in Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and Tarlac, De Leon said all suspects have been identified, mostly civilian gun enthusiasts and security guards.
The suspects were placed under investigation and criminal charges are being readied against them, said De Leon.
The Central Luzon PNP chief lauded all police units in the region for a peaceful welcoming of the new year.
“I commend the entire Central Luzon police force for a job well done, putting aside their personal convenience and comfort in exchange for a peaceful, safe and injury-free Holiday celebration. I would like also to thank our public for their continuous cooperation with us which immensely contributed to a safe merriment,” said De Leon.