Stray bullets hit 3; 150 treated for injuries
NEW YEAR REVELRY VICTIMS
LINGAYEN—The provincial health office confirmed that there were 150 persons who suffered firecracker-related injuries in this year’s New Year revelry compared to last year’s 123 cases.
The number did not include three confirmed cases of persons hit by stray bullets caused by indiscriminate firing of firearms by irresponsible gun-holders.
According to Dr. Jeremy Agerico Rosario, assistant provincial health officer, said the data were gathered from different Inter Local Health Zones composed of district hospitals and the provincial hospital but excluding Dagupan City and private hospitals.
Most of the victims are children hurt by piccolo and, fortunately, suffered only minor injuries.
However, P/Sr. Superintendent Reynaldo Biay, officer-in-charge police director, said the New Year’s revelry in Pangasinan was still generally peaceful.
The Pangasinan Police Provincial Office identified the victims of indiscriminate firing of guns by still unidentified suspects as Germelyn Joy Garcia, 32, resident of Barangay Bantog, Asingan; Zeus Dizon, 4, of Sto. Domingo, Tayug; and Liza Rosario, 41 of Barangay Ambuetel, Calasiao.
Garcia was grazed by a stray bullet from an unknown direction. She sustained injury on her upper lips. Recovered from the scene was a slug from caliber 9 mm. handgun.
Dizon, on the other hand, was hit on the foot by a bullet while playing in front of the barangay hall. An unidentified male motorcycle rider reportedly fired his gun towards the ground but the bullet ricocheted. The boy is now in stable condition after receiving treatment but the suspect managed to flee in the direction of Barangay Lawak.
Almoite said she felt something hit her back while she was lighting firecracker. Her relatives found one slug of an unknown caliber.
She was treated for minor injury.
Meanwhile, the police said a man who was denounced his by neighbors at Diamond Village in Dagupan City for indiscriminately firing his handgun into the air at the start of New Year revelry, is now the object of manhunt.
A report of Superintendent Ferdinand de Asis, public information officer of the Pangasinan Police Office, the suspect was not in his house when policemen responded to the neighbors’ call last Thursday.
The suspect reportedly fired six times into the air. The police recovered six empty shells of Caliber 9 mm. pistol in the premises of the suspect’s house.
Meanwhile, 35 persons were treated at Region 1 Medical Center up to last Thursday all of whom were victims of firecracker explosions.
The victims were from Dagupan City, Calasiao, Mangaldan, Sta. Barbara, San Fabian and San Jacinto.
The most serious case treated at R1MC was a man in his mid 20s, who was under the influence of liquor, from barangay Pantal, Dagupan City. His little finger had to be amputated after a firecracker he picked up at past 12 midnight exploded prematurely in his hand.
“The powerful firecracker ripped the flesh in his little finger leaving only the bone so we had to amputate it,” Dr. Noel Manaois, R1MC spokesman, said.
There were also two persons who were treated for eye injuries, one of whom will need longer eye assessment to determine if his vision was affected by the firecracker explosion.
Most of the cases were active victims of firecracker explosions, meaning they exploded the firecracker themselves. The youngest victim was a four-year old boy.
RIMC expects to receive more firecracker injuries up to January 5.
P/Supt. Ferdinand De Asis, the PPPO information officer wondered “If Sto. Tomas town can impose total firecrackers ban, why can’t others do the same?” he asked.
Sto. Tomas, according to Mayor Timoteo Villar III, implemented total firecrackers ban for two consecutive years.
Meanwhile, Dr. Policarpio Manuel, Pangasinan Provincial Hospital chief, said the most serious case in the hospital was the amputation of the middle finger of a victim. (Tita Roces/Leonardo Micua/Johanne Macob)
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