Eight persons, including an Indian national, died, while 27 were injured in Negros Occidental and Bacolod City shortly before and after the Christmas eve celebration, the police said.

None of the reported incidents however, were related to firecracker blasts or illegal discharge of firearms, the police added.

Of the eight fatalities, three died in vehicular accidents in the cities of Bago and Himamaylan and in Hinigaran town, three were found dead in the cities of Bacolod and Sagay, and in Murcia town, while two were victims of stabbing and shooting in Talisay City and Pontevedra town.

Senior Supt. Rosendo Franco, provincial police director, yesterday said he was happy at the zero incident of firecracker blasts and indiscriminate firing, although there were occurrences of traffic accidents and killings not related to the celebration.

Hopefully, there will also be zero incident in the New Year's eve celebration, Franco said.

Police records show that the New Year's eve celebration in 2005 left 11 people dead, and 46 injured in shooting, stabbing and vehicular accidents, while 39 were hurt in explosions from firecrackers and from stray bullets.

On Sunday, Marlyn Parreño and Joemarie Dugcal were killed in vehicular accidents in Bago City and Hinigaran, Negros Occidental. The next day, Gauray Pathak, an Indian national, was also killed when the motorcycle he was riding in tandem with Jun June Cardellada collided with a tricycle in Brgy. Aguisan, Himamaylan City.

COLLISION CASUALTIES

Police investigations showed that Parreño and four other pedestrians were hit by a Toyota vehicle driven by Ruel Pedrito in Brgy. Abuanan, Bago City.

Parreno was declared dead on arrival at the Sanitarium Hospital in Bacolod City, while the four other victims identified as Alicia Capitania, Aifen Querimada, Anna Rose Ferrer and Joshua Parreno, were also treated at the same hospital.

Dugcal, driver-owner of an XRM Honda motorcycle, also died in a collision with a tricycle loaded with 11 passengers in Brgy. Nanunga, Hinigaran, the police said.

The 11 tricycle passengers also sustained injuries, police added.

Also hurt in another collision of vehicles between an Indian national and a tricycle with two passengers in Brgy. Aguisan, Himamaylan City, were Ricardo Escobia and his brother, Raymund.

BODIES FOUND

Found dead in Sagay, Bacolod and E.B. Magalona on Dec. 25 were Bonifacio Bangay, Joemarie Mata and Wilfredo Padilla. The identity of a person whose body was discovered floating in a creek in Brgy. Blumentritt, Murcia, however, remain unknown up to this time.

Police investigations showed that bodies of Bangay and Mata bore multiple stab wounds. The body of an unidentified person found in a creek in Murcia bore hematomas in the right leg and left ear.

The fatalities in the stabbing and shooting incidents on Dec. 25 in Brgy. San Fernando, Talisay City, and Brgy. Cambaog, Hinigaran, were identified by the police as Leo Constantino and Pacifico Guillema.

STABBED, SHOT, HACKED BY KIN

Investigations showed that Constantino was stabbed, allegedly by his own cousin, Ronnie Barrios, who remained at-large up to yesterday.

Guillama, on the other hand, was shot allegedly by his brother-in-law, Vicene Eraldo.

Meanwhile, Andy, Gantalao was rushed to the CLMMRH with hack wounds allegedly inflicted by his brother Richard Gantalao who hit him with a bolo on the right side of his body, in Brgy. Carol-an, Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental at about 1 p.m. Monday.

Pableo Gantalao, 65, father of Andy and Richard, also sustained hack wounds on the left arm when he tried to pacify them, hospital reports said.

Jimmy Morillo, 29, single, of Purok Paho, Brgy. Zone 1, Murcia town, Negros Occidental was stabbed, allegedly by his elder brother, Chrisan Morillo, in the barangay at about 8:20 p.m. Monday.

MORE VIOLENCE

Willie Escorte, 23, of Migase, La Carlota City was rushed to the CLMMRH with stab wounds allegedly inflicted by a certain "Joemarie" in the barangay at about 8:45 p.m. of the same day.

Two hours later, Reynaldo Bughaw Canales, Jr., 21, single, of Mabini-Corral, Brgy. 30, Bacolod City was also rushed to the CLMMRH with stab wounds on his chest allegedly inflicted by an unidentified person at San Sebastian Street, Doña Juliana Subdivision, Brgy. Taculing.

Canales was drinking with the suspect earlier, police reports said.

At about 11:30 p.m. of the same day, Elieser Sanchez, 45, married, of Alunan, Relocation site, Brgy. Granada, Bacolod City was also brought to the CLMMRH with a stab wound on his back allegedly inflicted by his nephew Francisco Alegayda in the barangay.

Initial reports said Sanchez and Alegayda engaged in a heated argument, which resulted in the stabbing.

Joselito Bernal, 20, single, of San Miguel, Himamaylan City, Negros Occidental was also stabbed, allegedly by an unidentified person, in Brgy. 4, Himamaylan City at about 12 a.m. yesterday.

Bernal, who came from a benefit dance, was reportedly waylaid by the suspect who stabbed him on the left portion of his body, hospital reports said.

Two hours later, Adonis Marato, 25, married, of Campayas, Carabalan, Himamaylan City was also rushed to the CLMMRH with hack wounds on his head and right elbow, allegedly inflicted by an unidentified person in the barangay.

Meanwhile, Mary Jane Morales, 28, married, of Brgy. 29, Bacolod City was also injured when a private car hit her while she was crossing the street in front of the Gaisano City Mall at Araneta Street, Brgy. Singcang, Bacolod City at about 12:40 p.m. Monday.

Morales sustained injuries on her legs, hospital reports also said.*GPB/DMG

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