Five persons were injured by firecrackers in Muntinlupa despite a total ban in the city amid the revelry to welcome the New Year on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
Muntinlupa has an ordinance that totally banned the use and sale of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.
Just like in previous years, some people defied and violated the ban, and bought and used firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices.
According to City Health Office chief Dr. Juancho Bunyi, of the five cases of firecracker-related injuries, three were treated at the Ospital ng Muntinlupa and one each at the Medical Center Muntinlupa and Asian Hospital and Medical Center.
“No casualties,” he said.
According to OsMun, one was a 46-year-old male from Barangay Putatan, Muntinlupa who suffered multiple abrasions on the left shoulder, arm, forearm and hand due to “Kwitis.”
Another person, a 27-year-old male from Barangay Poblacion, was rushed to the hospital at about 12:30 a.m. on Jan. 1 after suffering injury on the left calf.
Last year, four persons were injured by firecrackers in Muntinlupa.
Mayor Ruffy Biazon ordered stepped up efforts to strictly implement City Ordinance No. 14-092, which prohibits “the manufacture, display, sale, distribution, possession or use of firecrackers or pyrotechnic devices and such other similar devices and the exploding of firecrackers or other similar explosives within the territorial jurisdiction of Muntinlupa City.”
Muntinlupa police chief Col. Angel Garcillano reported on Jan. 1 that the police confiscated a total of 6,298 firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices in different operations to implement the ordinance.
"In general, the New Year celebration within Muntinlupa City was generally peaceful with zero (0) casualties of firecracker and stray bullet related injuries and incident," he said in the report.