6-year-old girl critical after being hit by stray bullet in Tondo shootout

A six-year-old girl is in critical condition after she was hit by a stray bullet following a shootout between policemen and drug suspects in Tondo, Manila, a report on Unang Balita on Wednesday said.

Stefie Kate Peñalber was playing in Barangay 199 in Tondo, Manila earlier this week when a bullet hit her abdomen and eventually lodged into her intestine, GMA News' Sandra Aguinaldo reported.

Stefie is currently confined at the intensive care unit of Manila Memorial Medical Center and is in need of blood for her operation.

Meanwhile, Stefie's father called on the public for blood donations and financial assistance.

"Simula gabi hanggang ngayon pati dugo hirap pa rin kami maghanap. Limang piraso na lang yung kailangan para maoperahan yung anak ko," Jose Peñalber said.

"Sana naman tulungan niyo ako. Pagdasal niyo na lang yung anak ko na mabuhay. Kasi mahirap eh. Sariling pera namin yung ginagamit namin sa mga pangangailangan sa anak ko," he added.

Jose said he does not know who should be held liable for the incident.

According to Manila Police District Station 7, a shootout occurred between the policemen and drug suspects in the area. 

It said that the drug suspects were the first ones to fire at the operatives.

"Siguro naman po, alam naman ng ating mga kapulisan yung paggamit ng firearm nila. So definitely sa mga suspect po nanggaling 'yon because nag-open fire while running po sa atin," Senior Inspector Ness Vargas said.

The Philippine National Police said they will investigate whether the bullet that hit Stefie was fired by the cops.

"Titingnan natin kung ano yung mangyayari doon sa ating mga tropa. Titingnan din natin yung side nila," Vargas said.

However, authorities said they did not recover any bullet shells in the area.

The report said residents refused to comment on the incident. They mentioned however that the drug suspects do not reside in their barangay.

Authorities identified the two drug suspects as Deris Dela Cruz and a certain Alias Toteng. 

Three other cohorts of the suspects are under the custody of police authorities.

Moreover, Vargas said that a 35-year-old man was also injured in the operations, noting that the drug suspects are responsible for it. —Marlly Rome Bondoc/KG, GMA News