Zero fatal casualty in Central Luzon New Year’s Eve revelry

THE Police Regional Office (PRO)-Central Luzon disclosed on Wednesday, January 2 that there were no serious casualties as revellers in Central Luzon welcomed the New Year peacefully.

PRO-Director Police Chief Superintendent Joel Napoleon M. Coronel attributed the generally peaceful situation and zero fatal casualty to the 26 operations conducted by police authorities within the region from December 16, 2018 to January 1, 2019.

During the operations, 16 persons were arrested for violation of Republic 7183 (An act Regulating the Sale, Manufacture, Distribution and Use of Firecrackers and other Pyrotechnic Devices) and Executive 28 (Providing for the Regulation and Control of the Use of Firecrackers and other Pyrotechnic devices), Coronel said.

He added that 90 firecracker-related injuries were recorded with no fatal casualties and no victims of stray bullets reported during the said period which is remarkably lower compared to the 390 reported incidents during same period in 2017.

Coronel furthered that this numbers was a result of the series of inspections conducted by the PRO- Central Luzon command group and staff together with the different provincial and city police offices among firecracker manufacturers and stores as well as the massive information drive and campaign initiated by the Philippine National Police (PNP) together with the different government agencies 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 local government units.

He said over 6,500 police operatives were deployed region-wide also contributed to the decrease of incidents during the entire festivities.

Coronel noted that no firearm of PNP personnel was involved in indiscriminate firing during the eve and the actual celebration of New Year.

“I commend the entire central 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. Your police in Central Luzon also appreciates the continuous cooperation and support of our stakeholders and the general public who immensely contributed to a safe merriment,” Coronel said.