Drinking sprees more hazardous than fireworks in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – Baguio residents may have been extra careful with their firecrackers but they still love to drink the year away.

As a result, one man was killed while two others stabbed in separate occasions after drinking sprees on New Year’s day Tuesday, January 1. Another died after he was ran over by a vehicle.

June Jay Serdeca Apuerto, a 32-year-old cook, and Jay-ar Dulnuan Lagmay, 23, were drinking early Tuesday morning in Navy Base barangay with other men when an fight erupted between the two.

Lagmay stabbed Apuerto on the chest and although the cook was brought to the Baguio General Hospital, he died after a few minutes. Apuerto was arrested by the police.

Nineteen-year-old Jerickson Palayon and Jesrael Heppog, 22, both construction workers, were also drinking with friends on the afternoon of January 1 at Irisan when a spat broke out between them.

Palayon went home while the rest continued drinking. When Heppog fell asleep, Palayon returned and stabbed him with a pair of scissors.

Heppog is now undergoing surgery at the BGH while Palayon is at large.

At City Camp Proper, Christian Ladia arrived from a drinking spree at about 5:30 pm and fought with his partner Liezyl Cayabyab. He then choked and stabbed her once. The police were able to bring her to the hospital and arrested Ladia.

Meanwhile in Guinzadan Sur, Bauko, 59-year-old Gaspar KIao Ngalatan was coming home from welcoming the year away at about 2 in the morning when he was hit by a vehicle some 50 meters from their drinking place. His companions brought him to the Luis Hora Memorial Hospital but he was declared dead on arrival.

The Cordillera Regional Police Office also said that they recorded only 9 firecracker-related injuries in the region from December 16 to January 1, 2019.

The victims ranging from 7 to 34 years old were from Abra and Ifugao and suffered minor injuries. – Rappler.com