The Philippine National Police (PNP) reported that the New Year celebration was "generally peaceful" despite a rise in firecracker-related injuries and cases of indiscriminate firing.
According to PNP Spokesperson Police General Jun Fajardo, the festivities remained peaceful as no major untoward incidents were reported overnight, as stated in a report by Edniel Parrosa.
However, the PNP recorded a total of 27 cases of indiscriminate firing as of 6:00 AM on January 1, 2025. This includes incidents where three individuals were injured, 21 suspects were arrested, and seven remain at large.
Among those apprehended for indiscriminate firing were a PNP personnel, a Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) employee, a security guard, and several civilians.
Additionally, 297 individuals were reported injured due to firecracker-related incidents, based on police data, which is separate from the figures recorded by the Department of Health (DOH).
Tragically, a 77-year-old senior citizen from Nueva Ecija succumbed to firecracker-related injuries on December 22.
The PNP also arrested 73 individuals for the use and sale of illegal firecrackers, with the confiscated items valued at over PHP 3.9 million.
