Wednesday, January 03, 2007 One pyro-linked injury, drunken violence down By Rhodamae M. Hernandez
ONE more holiday season passed with only one firecracker casualty in the city, and as if the season of giving extends beyond the drunken state, the number of physical injuries and deaths during drinking sprees was also down throughout the season.
The firecracker and pyrotechnic ban implemented since the start of the millennium has been showing a decreasing number of casualties and what used to be busy days for medical professionals has become the most quiet, except for parties to attend.
Davao Medical Center Emergency Room Chief Dr. Ricardo Audan said there was only one casualty in firecracker explosion in three years now and the last reported victim was an 11-year-old boy from Amakan in Cabantian.
Audan said they are making reports on firecrackers casualties everyday.
"We are having a report on these cases everyday to our office in Manila since I was the 'Iwas Paputok' coordinator of the city, I have reported only one for this year," Audan told Sun.star Davao.
City police stations have reportedly recorded decreased numbers of drinking spree casualties in Christmas and New Year celebration compared to ordinary days.
In Tugbok, PO2 Roque Osico said they have only two casualties, one during Christmas and one on the last day of the year.
"It was a fight between siblings. They must have argued over something that resulted to stabbing. We also did not file complaints since the parents were not interested to sue," Osico said.
In Buhangin, a series of apprehensions of selling firecrackers were made and the cases were already filed at the City Prosecutor's Office.
"The rest are minors and the mayor advised them to be released without filing the case," Buhangin police station chief Yolando Bello said. (RMH)
