THE Police Regional Office–Davao Region (PRO-Davao) reported one stray bullet incident and four firecracker-related injuries in the region during the holiday season.
PRO-Davao spokesperson PMaj. Catherine Dela Rey said the stray bullet incident occurred around midnight on December 25, 2025, in Purok 5, Barangay Malabang, Hagonoy, Davao del Sur.
The 56-year-old victim was asleep when she heard a loud noise from the ceiling and felt pain in her right thigh. She initially thought a rock had hit the ceiling and went back to sleep.
The incident was reported the next afternoon, on December 26. Police recovered a bullet slug at the scene. Dela Rey said the victim sustained only a minor injury and underwent a medical check-up the following day, with confirmation from the city health office.
“Pagka-next day na niya napa check up and then need pud ang confirmation sa city health (The victim went for a medical check-up the following day, and we also needed confirmation from the city health office),” she said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw on Monday, January 5, 2025, at SM City Davao.
Investigators have yet to identify or apprehend the person responsible.
PRO-Davao recalled two stray bullet incidents during last year’s holiday season. On January 4, 2025, a 19-year-old student from New Visayas, Panabo City, died after being struck by a bullet on New Year’s Eve. Another incident on January 1 left a 22-year-old man from Sulop, Davao del Sur, with a gunshot wound to his shoulder while riding his motorcycle.
Dela Rey also reported 12 firecrackers confiscated and four firecracker-related injuries in the region. Ten of the confiscation cases were in Davao City, resulting in the arrest of five individuals; the remaining cases involved minors. Authorities confiscated items in two cases in Davao del Norte.
Firecrackers injured two people in Davao del Norte’s Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) and one person each in Boston and Mati City, Davao Oriental.
For comparison, the Department of Health–Davao reported six firecracker-related injuries across the region in 2024, with cases in Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and Davao Oriental. “Authorities reported no injuries in Davao City, Davao del Sur, or Davao Occidental during that period. RGP