Ilocos region: The Ilocos Police Regional Office (PRO) 1 has reported three incidents of indiscriminate firing between December 21 last year and January 4 this year, resulting in injuries to two individuals.

According to Philippines News Agency, Maj. Divina Albino, chief of the PRO-1 information office, revealed in a phone interview that two of these incidents occurred in Ilocos Sur and one in Pangasinan. On December 22, a 48-year-old man from Pias Tayum, Abra, was arrested for indiscriminate firing at a residence in Barangay Estancia, Narvacan, Ilocos Sur, using a homemade .22-caliber revolver.

The second incident took place on January 1 in Sinait, Ilocos Sur, where a male suspect was apprehended after a group reported him for similar behavior. The third case, on January 3, involved a 40-year-old male in Pangasinan, whose actions resulted in injuries to a 19-year-old high school student and a 34-year-old tricycle driver. The injured parties were promptly taken to hospitals for treatment. The suspect later surrendered to the police, handing over the firearm involved.

Meanwhile, the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH-1) documented 290 fireworks-related injuries from December 21 last year to January 4 this year, marking a 36.8 percent rise compared to the 212 cases reported in the same period in 2025. The DOH-1's Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit identified 'Kwitis,' 'Five Star,' 'Luces,' and 'Boga' as the primary causes of these injuries, predominantly affecting males aged 10 to 14.

DOH Secretary Ted Herbosa emphasized the responsibility of parents and adults in preventing such incidents, urging them to intervene when children are involved. Additionally, DOH-1 recorded 79 road crashes in the region from December 21 last year to January 1, 2026, with the majority involving men aged 20 to 24. These crashes resulted in five fatalities.