Hundreds injured in Philippine revelry

A victim of a firecracker accident is rushed to hospital for treatment

MANILA, Philippines -- Nearly 500 people were injured due to stray bullets and firecracker accidents during raucous New Year celebrations throughout the country.

A police report said 453 people were hurt by firecracker accidents, while stray bullets wounded 22 people.

The report, however, did not include the 107 people hurt over Christmas.

The Health Department meanwhile said that a 29-year-old man died on New Year's Eve in central Cebu province from firecracker burns.

New Year celebrations are traditionally bloody in the Philippines where people use powerful firecrackers to greet the New Year, believing it would expel evil spirits.

Police and health officials stressed that the current toll has significantly declined, as opposed to the start of 2001 when six people died and 1,365 were wounded.

Police attribute this development to an economic crunch, which has reduced the purchasing power of the people and has forced them to spend on basic needs such as food instead.

They also cited the intense government campaign against homemade firecrackers and firing of guns.

The Philippines National Police has recently ordered all 14,000 police in the capital to muzzle their barrels with masking tape, and threatened to summarily dismiss those who will defy the order.

The Police department also subjected police guns to inspection to determine if they have been fired.