The Department of Health (DOH) is now preparing for the possible cases of stray bullet and firecracker-related incidents.
Latest data from the DOH show that there is already a stray bullet victim. The Police Regional Office 5 identified him as an eight-year-old boy from Claveria, Masbate and is currently recovering at the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital.
The police are still looking for the 23-year-old suspect identified as Anjo Ballesteros. “Pagdating sa bahay sa may parteng kitchen, bumunot ng baril doon sa kanyang backpack. Binaril yung banga, yung clay pot. Doon sa likod ng clay pot, may batang naglalakad (When he arrived home, he went to the kitchen and pulled out a gun from his backpack. He fired at the clay pot, but there was a child walking behind the pot),”PRO5 RD PBGen. Bart Bartolome narrated.
The PNP has warned the public anew that firing guns are prohibited, even during the celebration of New Year’s Eve, and emphasized the “responsible ownership of gun.”
The DOH reported that there are now 14 cases of fireworks-related injuries nationwide as of December 30. This is 76 percent lower than those recorded in 2019.
The health department also reminded the public to observe minimum health standards and safety protocols in welcoming 2020. This is now the third day that the daily confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country is lower than 1,000.
“As long as we keep our numbers low, the possibility of having new variants of this virus will be very low as well,” DOH USec. Maria Rosario Vergeire stated.
– Report from Mark Fetalco
