QC woman becomes first female victim of stray bullets for 2013 holidays

A 40-year-old woman from Barangay Holy Spirit in Quezon City became the first female victim of stray bullets this holiday season, just days after the barangay was declared as one of the most dangerous areas in Metro Manila for firecracker-related injuries.

Department of Health (DOH) assistant secretary Dr. Enrique Tayag disclosed this on his Twitter account on Tuesday, although he did not identify the victim.

Based on the DOH’s 2010-2012 report on firecracker-related injuries, the barangays in Quezon City with number of  firecracker-related injuries include Holy Spirit, Batasan Hills, Commonwealth, Payatas, Sto. Domingo and Krus na Ligas.

Barangay council member Jomar Lagarto, however, said in a report aired on “24 Oras” that the local officials have so far received fewer reports on incidents of injuries due to firecrackers or stray bullets as compared to the previous years. He said this was due to barangay officials’ serious crackdown on users of illegal firecrackers and reckless gun shooters.

“Dati po sa ganitong panahon, marami nang naba-blotter sa aming kaso ng naputukan ng baril o ng paputok. Sa ngayon ho, malinis pa ang aming blotter book at wala pang naitalang mga ganoong kaso,” he said.

As of Tuesday afternoon, DOH’s tally of injuries caused by fireworks stood at 276. Tayag said in a television interview that hospitals, particularly in Metro Manila, expect to accommodate up to 80 injuries per hour starting 6 p.m. Tuesday as the New Year draws closer.

He said during the same period last year, there were 207 revelry-related injuries, including 204 from fireworks, one from fireworks ingestion, and two from stray bullets.

Tayag said in an interview on “News to Go” Tuesday morning that the DOH included cases of being hit stray bullets in its tally of firecracker-related injuries to serve as a warning to the public against the indiscriminate firing of guns.

“Sinama na namin ang [cases] ng stray bullets sa aming pagbibilang para magsilbing paalala na ang pagpapaputok ng baril ay hindi po kasama sa mga paraan ng pagsasaya ngayong bagong taon,” he said.

Last January, seven-year-old Stephanie Nicole Ella died in the hospital after being hit by a stray bullet outside their home in Caloocan City on December 31, 2012 while she was watching her neighbors light firecrackers.

Several suspects have been arrested for Ella's death, but none has been charged for the incident. — Xianne Arcangel/KBK, GMA News