IRIGA CITY -– A 15-year old boy lost three fingers while another suffered head injuries when they celebrated the New Year with firecrackers amid the cold midnight rain last Tuesday.
Police authorities here, however, claimed that this year’s holiday season was relatively peaceful with few reported untoward incidents; no indiscriminate firing and the low number of firecracker victims, based on police and hospital records.
The victims were identified as Alvin Nueva, a resident of Brgy. San Antonio, this city, and a certain Usher Belza, 20 of Brgy. San Francisco, also of Iriga.
Alvin was rushed to a clinic in San Francisco while Usher was brought to Sta. Maria Josefa Foundation Hospital in Brgy. Francia. Both were allowed to go home several hours later when the attending physicians declared them out of danger.
Prior to the incidents, an 18 year old resident of Oas, Albay had no other choice but to celebrate the New Year inside jail, after he was collared for alleged illegal possession of firearm and ammunition while walking at downtown area.
Seized from the suspect who was identified as Ronald Rempillo y Navara was a .38 pistol (Armcor 202) with serial number 925024 and 5 live ammunitions.
The local police is still conducting a thorough investigation to gather information about the suspect’s identity after he opted to remain silent during the interrogation.
In Nabua, Camarines Sur, a suspected notorious illegal drug peddler and an engineer were arrested by police authorities while allegedly having a pot session inside a house in Barangay Sto. Domingo, this town.
The suspects were identified as Guillermo Hermoso Jr. of said Brgy. and Engr. Danilo Beraña of Barangay San Francisco, Iriga.
The duo were sent to the Iriga City District Jail in Bgy. La Purisima per commitment order issued by the Regional Trial Court a few days after they were arrested and charged for violation of R.A. 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
