MANILA — The Philippine National Police reported on Tuesday a total of 20 incidents of illegal discharge of firearms from December 16 to January 2.

PNP spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said three cases were from police personnel, two from Armed Forces of the Philippines personnel, twelve from civilians, and one from a barangay kagawad. Two remain unidentified.

“Itong PNP members, AFP members, civilians at ang kagawad ay nasampahan na ng kaso, at ang iba po ay nakakulong pa,” Fajardo told reporters at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

Seven people were injured in the cases of illegal discharge of firearms, she added.

Fajardo noted that the cases are lower compared to the 25 and 26 cases recorded during the same period in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

In the cases of stray bullets, 13 incidents were recorded, where 12 people were injured.

The PNP official said the Mariveles, Bataan incident, which resulted in a fatality, was not a case of a stray bullet.

“’Yung kaso sa Mariveles, Bataan, na initially ay nai-report na stray bullet, after conducting further investigation, it turned out na hindi po ito kaso ng stray bullet, kaya wala tayong namatay sa stray bullet,” Fajardo explained.

"Umpisa pa lamang po ay doubtful na ang ating investigators dahil ang mismong mga kainuman ng biktima ay iba-iba ang statements. Nung ini-imbestigahan na sila, dahil ang tama ng biktima ay sa gilid ng katawan at walang dugo," she added.

"Based sa investigation at paraffin test sa apat na kainuman, eventually, umamin ang suspect. Sinabi niyang aksidente niya lang nabaril ang biktima."

"Kanina, in-inquest na ang suspect at sasampahan ng kaso rin ang tatlo pa niyang kainuman because they attempted to hide the incident."

The suspects in the stray bullet incidents remain unidentified.

In 2022, the PNP recorded 12 cases of stray bullets.

• 1 dead due to stray bullets amid New Year revelry: PNP

DEATHS DUE TO FIRECRACKERS

Meanwhile, two people were killed—one each in Region 1 and Region 5—due to firecrackers.

“Ang sa Region 1, kung saan may isang namatay noong December 25. Incidentally, may naka-stock na firecrackers doon sa stockhouse. Nanigarilyo po, ‘yun ang cause bakit sumabog ang warehouse na kinalalagyan ng firecrackers,” Fajardo said.

“Ang isa naman ay doon sa Region 5, self-inflicted. Sinindihan ng biktima ang whistle bomb at sumabog ito,” she added.

Authorities have confiscated 216,819 pieces of illegal firecrackers worth P4,173,982.

“’Yung accomplishment ng PNP with respect to crackdown of illegal firecrackers, dumoble pa this year compared last year, kung saan more or less P2.5 million confiscated illegal firecrackers ang naitala… Hindi nagkulang pagdating sa enforcement ang PNP, bagama’t there will always be room for improvement,” the PNP official said.

“Gusto nating lagi tayong open sa pakikipagcollaborate at coordinate sa mga ahensya ng gobyerno.”

• DOH records over 200 new cases of fireworks-related injury

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