THE Western Visayas Regional Police office on Tuesday reported a peaceful and orderly New Year’s celebration in the region with fewer casualties from firecracker and indiscriminate firing incidents recorded during the revelry.

Chief Supt. Agrimero Cruz Jr., regional police commander, said that as of Tuesday, the regional tactical operations center has recorded 10 incidents of stray bullets and 54 persons being injured due to firecrackers.

“We are elated over this report that there were fewer were hurt in firecracker related incidents,” Cruz said.

The police official said that of the 10 incidents of indiscriminate firing recorded by the police, three persons were reported to have been hit and wounded by stray bullets with no fatality reported.

The police official named the wounded stray bullet victims as Teresita Cansancio, 62, of Talacuan, Leon, Iloilo; Eduardo Tavarra, 74, of Tigbauan, Iloilo; and, Mayette Miranda, 28, of Tapo-tapo Avenue, New Buswang, Kalibo, Aklan.

Cansancio was hit on his left shoulder; Tavarra on his left arm and Miranda on her right chest and they were already declared out of danger by physicians, Cruz said.

The police official said that these incidents of indiscriminate firing are now being investigated for possible identification of those responsible and for double or multiple reporting of a single illegal discharge of firearms.

Negros Occidental posted the highest firecrackers-related incidents with 27, Guimaras, Iloilo City and Bacolod City with six incidents each, Iloilo province with five, Antique—three and Aklan—one.

The regional tactical operations center also revealed that last year 83 firecrackers-related incidents and 15 incidents of stray bullets were recorded. In 2010, 73 incidents on firecrackers-related incidents and one died due to stray bullet were reported.

The Firearms and Explosives Units has reported the confiscation of illegal firecrakers and pyrotechnic devices with an estimated cost of P179, 850.00 with Iloilo City Police Office posting the highest with P117,000 worth of firecrackers seized.

 The confiscation of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices in Negros Occidental was pegged at P15,000; Iloilo Provincial Police Office (PPO)—P15,500; Bacolod City—P15,000; Aklan PPO—P11,060; Capiz PPO—P4,290; and Antique PPO with only P500.