THE Police Regional Office (PRO)- Western Visayas based in Iloilo City recorded a total of 65 firecracker-related injuries in Western Visayas from December 16, 2018 to January 2, 2019.
As of 12 p.m. of January 2, Superintendent Joem Malong, public information officer of PRO- Western Visayas, said Capiz topped the eight local government units in the region with 24 reported injuries.
It was followed by Iloilo province with 13; Negros Occidental, nine; Bacolod, seven; Aklan, six; Guimaras and Iloilo City, with three each.
For Bacolod, most of the injuries on male minors were caused by trianggulo and candle bomb.
No firecracker-related injuries were reported in Antique.
Malong said there were 32 others who were allegedly injured in Negros Occidental but those are still subject for validation.
The Department of Health (DOH) will continue to monitor the firecracker-related injuries until January 5.
Based on the record of the DOH- Western Visayas, Negros Occidental has the highest number of firecracker-related injuries with 16 followed by Bacolod City with 12; Iloilo province, 10; Iloilo City, eight; Capiz, five; Guimaras and Aklan, three each; and Antique, one.
A total of 58 cases were recorded by the DOH as of December 21, 2018 to January 1, 2019.
Meanwhile, the New Year celebration in Western Visayas was generally peaceful, with a decrease of 18.69 percent in eight focus crimes or crimes against person or property.
Police records showed that 235 incidents were recorded from December 16, 2018 to January 1, 2019 compared to 289 cases from December 16, 2017 to January 1, 2018.
Physical injury has the highest number of incidents with 128 while carnapping has only one case.
From December 16, 2018 to January 1, 2019, PRO- Western Visayas conducted a total of 13 operations against illegal possession, use, and sale of firecrackers which resulted to the arrest of one person and confiscation of firecrackers amounting to P154,775.
The regional headquarters also recorded two stray bullet incidents which caused injuries to two persons in Iloilo province from December 31, 2018 to January 1, 2019.
On indiscriminate firing, a civilian in Iloilo City was arrested after he yielded a .9mm revolver.
A total of 1,820 personnel composed of 110 non-commissioned officers and 1,710 commissioned officers were deployed to secure all places of convergence and transportation hubs and terminals in addition to its usual deployment in the whole region while maintaining the full alert status.
For Bacolod City, a total of 318 police were stationed in public assistance desks and border control and deployed as beat patrols, Motorized Anti-Street Crime Operatives.
In Bacolod City, no incidents of indiscriminate firing, a stray bullet, and fire due to or caused by firecrackers were reported.
For crime incidents, the Bacolod City Police Office has recorded a total of five cases, three of which were reckless imprudence resulting in physical injuries, one theft, and one shooting.