What was supposed to be a happy and exciting New Year’s celebration turned out to be a horror to a family in Maco, Davao de Oro.

Before the clock ticked 12:00AM of January 1, 2024, everyone was busy preparing for their firecrackers or “torotot” for the Filipino’s tradition of making noise to shoo away bad spirits and vibes at the start of the year.

pamilya unta gihunahuna nimo nga what if isa sa imong pamilya maigo ang saag nga bala, unsa kaha bation nimo? Bago ka nagpahambog nga naa kay armas kay mao imong gipaboto sugat sa bag-ong tuig. Pasalamat na lang mi kay sa abaga lang natunong ug simbako sa ulo, unsaon na lang? (To the owner of this stray that hit my son, sir, you have a family; you should have thought that if one of your family members was hit by a stray bullet, what would you feel then? Before you boast of owning a firearm since this is what you set off to welcome the New Year. We are still thankful that it just hit his shoulder and not his head because who know what will happen?)”

“We stand together against this irresponsible conduct that has cast a shadow over what should have been a joyous occasion,” the chief executive stressed.

Governor Gonzaga urged the public to assist in resolving this case by providing any information they may have.

“The Provincial Government urges you to come forward and collaborate with the authorities. By working together, we can ensure that those responsible are held accountable and contribute to the overall safety of our beloved province.”

In the Fireworks Related Injury surveillance of the Department of Health, the case was the first recorded stray bullet incident (SBI) in the Philippines.

As of January 6, DOH reported a total of seven SBIs; however, the surveillance said that the number may increase in the next few days as there are still reported cases of SBIs that are still being validated. (MLU/PIA Davao de Oro)