BY GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Twenty persons, including 11 minors, sustained firecracker-related injuries in Negros Occidental as of January 1, the police reported yesterday.
The youngest victim is 7-year-old and the oldest was reported by the police to be 60 years old.
However, there was no incident of indiscriminate firing, according to the PLt. Abegael Donasco, deputy spokesperson of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO).
While there was no muzzle taping on service firearms issued to police personnel, Donasco said all NOCPPO members had been warned of severe sanctions against those who may fire their guns to welcome the New Year’s Eve.
She also reported that the 17 incidents in cities of Escalante, Bago, Talisay, Silay, Cadiz and San Carlos, as well as municipalities of EB Magalona, Candoni, Pontevedra and San Enrique, took place outside of designated firecracker zones.
PLt. Liberty Indiape, deputy spokesperson of the Bacolod City Police Office, also reported that two of the three blast victims in Bacolod City, are minors.
Police records showed an increase of blast victims from five last year, to 17 this year, in Negros Occidental, excluding the three incidents highly-urbanized Bacolod City.*
