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Eastern Visayas police reports 33% drop in firecracker injuries

TACLOBAN CITY, Jan. 3 (PNA) –- The Philippine National Police (PNP) regional office here has reported a 33 percent decrease in firecracker injuries during Christmas and New Year celebrations in Eastern Visayas.

At least 26 persons were injured for lighting firecrackers and pyrotechnics during holiday revelries from Dec. 16, 2016 to early morning of Jan. 3, 2017, according to police reports.

Northern Samar province has the most cases of firecracker blast at 22. The remaining cases were in Leyte, Tacloban City, and Eastern Samar province.

Last year, the PNP recorded 39 injuries due to firecracker blast or 33 percent more than this year’s celebration.

In a statement, PNP Eastern Visayas Regional Director Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar congratulated all policemen in the region for the effective information dissemination on the ill effects of firecrackers, which resulted in the decrease of the number of blast victims.

As of Tuesday morning, the police regional office conducted 18 operations in line with the enforcement of law regulating the use of firecrackers and pyrotechnics.

The police arrested four persons for trading and possessing illegal firecrackers in Leyte province and Ormoc City.

The police also nabbed Antonio Linga of Uguis village in Mahaplag, Leyte and Wilbor Fua of Buenavista village in Rosario, Northern Samar for indiscriminate firing. However, authorities have not recorded a single victim of stray bullet.

“Incidents of firecrackers and indiscriminate firing are obviously much lower compared to last year. This is because of the maximum deployment of policemen during the New Year revelries and community support and cooperation provided to the police,” Beltejar added. (PNA)
LAP/SARWELL Q. MENIANO

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