CHRISTMAS celebrations in Cebu and the rest of the provinces in Central Visayas were very peaceful with minor incidents, according to Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director Noli Taliño.
He received reports of four firecracker-related incidents in Cebu City and Badian in southwestern Cebu last Sunday and of three victims of stray bullets over the weekend, but there were no casualties.
According to records of the Department of Health 7, 14 injuries were attributed to firecrackers and stray bullets in the region: seven in Cebu City; two in Lapu-Lapu City; two in Mandaue City; one in Bogo City, Cebu; one in Dumaguete, Negros Oriental; and one in Dauis, Bohol.
The number of injuries is higher compared to the same period last year, with 13 cases.
“Accidental” shooting
In Cebu City, a drunken man carrying a firearm accidentally pulled the trigger on Pope John Paul II Ave., and hit his leg.
Police are still looking for the man, who left the hospital before investigators arrived.
Zulika Jaca, 14, a resident of Sitio Mahayahay I, Barangay Pasil, Cebu City, was brought to Cebu City Medical Center (CCMC) after a lighted piccolo landed on her foot.
An unidentified person had thrown the firecracker while she and her friends were caroling in Barangay Ermita.
Rico Aligato, a resident of Upper Greenbelt, Barangay Quiot, hurt his right hand while playing with firecrackers.
He was also brought to CCMC.
In his Facebook post, Mandaue City Vice Mayor Carlo Fortuna said there was only a single incident of firecracker injury in the city, based on records of the city hospital.
Also last Sunday, tanod Melbert Agang Jimenez, 39, allegedly stabbed his drunk neighbor Juven Balaod Ylagan in Barangay Cajel, Borbon around 4 a.m.
At 11 p.m., a stray bullet hit the house of Apra Despabeladero Sayson, 74, in Barangay Patao, Bantayan. No one was harmed.
Last Saturday, Arcel Labitan, 30, suffered burns in his right pointing finger after he lighted a fountain in Barangay Babag, Lapu-Lapu City.
The incident happened at 1:35 a.m..
He was taken to the Lapu-Lapu City Hospital.
In Mandaue City, Philip Roncales, 56, was hit by a stray bullet in the back while he and his wife were waiting for a tricycle in Sitio Pilapil, Barangay Umapad around 4:20 a.m.
Street party stabbing
They were on their way to the market.
SPO2 Juan Calamba of Mandaue Police Station 5 said the victim heard something fall from the roof of a nearby house, but the couple didn’t hear any gunshot.
Philip was rushed to a private hospital, where he is recuperating.
Police submitted the recovered slug to the PNP Crime Laboratory 7 to try to determine its owner.
Past 2 in the afternoon, fire razed the Monserrat National High School in Pilar, Camotes.
Witnesses saw the blaze start in the offices of the Supreme Student Government and the principal. No one was hurt.
Faulty electrical connection may have caused the fire.
At 9 p.m., Danilo Yu Antivo was on his way to attend a party in Barangay Himensulan, San Francisco, Camotes when he was allegedly stabbed by Jerome Luder Purisma for no apparent reason.
Two hours later, an unidentified man shot the younger brother of Velmore Valendez Dignos during a party in the middle of the road in Barangay Gairan, Bogo City.
Last Friday, the left leg of Alan Gore Cagadas, 48, was hit by a stray bullet while he was celebrating his birthday with his cousin in their backyard in Barangay Dakit, Bogo City.
Cagadas was treated at the Cebu Provincial Hospital.