Police to monitor firecrackers, stray bullet incident on New Year’s Eve

Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) | Emmariel Ares

CEBU CITY, Philippines – With only a few days left before New Year’s Day, police in Central Visayas said they will continue to intensify their monitoring of firecrackers and stray bullet incident to ensure public safety.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Gerard Ace Pelare, spokesperson of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), said they wanted to make sure that the New Year’s celebration in the region will be as peaceful as the Christmas Day celebration here.

“We will continue our very effective deployment atong Christmas. Still, ang atong mga tawo will be deployed in areas of convergence unya naa tay mga red teams from the Regional Headquarters ug Provincial headquarters para mocheck sa deployment,” he said.

Their campaign against illegal drugs will also be relentless.

“Ang atoa pung anti-crime strategies magpabilin. Ang atoang mga operatiba, magpabiling manakop. Nakita nato this month of December, ubay ubay tag nadakpan. Kini alinsunod sa direktiba sa atong regional director nga kuhaon gyud ang supply para sa holidays para magpabilin nga malinaw ang atoang celebration,” he said.

Public safety

Pelare said that the commanders of the different police stations in the region were already instructed to focus on the use of firecrackers and the indiscriminate firing of firearms during the New Year’s Eve celebration.

“Gipahinumdoman na ang tanang unit commanders to make sure nga naa tay very wide campaign against stray bullet incidents. Dayon kung naa man pud gani mahitabo, we will require that the unit commanders will exhaust all efforts para madakpan gyud ning mga magbuhat niini,” Pelare said. 

In coordination with the Central Visayas Office of the Department of Health, Pelare said that as of today they have not received any stray bullet reports.

Firecracker injuries

Meanwhile, DOH-7 has so far reported 14 cases of fireworks-related injuries in the region. 

This was according to Dr. Eugenina Mercedes Cañal of the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the DOH, who spoke to reporters on Wednesday, December 27.

To prevent more injuries, Pelare is urging the public to avoid the use of firecrackers.

Pelare said that those who will need to use firecrackers, should make sure to buy only from accredited sellers and to use firecrackers in designated firecracker zones.

SFO2 Wendell Villanueva, information officer of the Cebu City Fire Office (CCFO), said they urge the barangays to identify firecracker zones in their respective areas as a means to prevent untoward incidents during the New Year’s Eve celebration.

Fire cracker zones will be monitored by emergency personnel in case of injuries.

RELATED STORIES

Christmas in Cebu City: ‘Peaceful, no reported incidents’

DOH-7 reports rise in firecracker injuries during Christmas, New Year’s Eve celebrations