MANILA , Philippines – A 10-year-old boy is in critical condition at the Dr. Jose Reyes Medical Center after being shot during the New Year’s revelry, but police said it was not a case of a stray bullet, but of having been in the crossfire of a drunken man’s rampage in Maypajo, Caloocan City.
The boy sustained a single gunshot wound in the arm, but the bullet traveled to his chest, then to his stomach before exiting through his back, according to Dr. Endre Aducul.
The NCRPO identified the boy as Joven Earl Gaces y Nacorda, adding that another child, Princes Denise Cruzat y Alembol, was also injured, though not as seriously as Gaces. All are residents of Block 3 Sawata Brgy. 35 in Maypajo, Caloocan City.
The boy’s liver was damaged by the bullet, and doctors are monitoring his kidney, which they said was also likely affected.
The boy is at the hospital’s recovery room, but Dr. Aducul said they will have to bring him back to the operating room on Tuesday morning to check what is causing the continuous internal bleeding. They applied a so-called “packing” process on the liver to control the bleeding.
Aducul said the boy’s blood pressure had plunged as a result of the bleeding.
“The boy is now in critical condition. He is in the recovery room. But we will return him to the OR because of the bleeding from his liver injury; but because the bleeding continues we are also considering the possibility his kidneys were also damaged,” Aducul said, speaking in Filipino.
“It was a single gunshot wound in the arm. It then traversed to his chest before going to his abdomen and exiting through his back,” added Aducul.
He said the boy had a “50/50 chance” of surviving.
NCRPO chief Oscar Albayalde, meanwhile, said Earl and another child, Princess Denise Crusada were both collateral damage when a drunken man went wild during New Year revelry.
According to the Puublic Information Office of the NCRPO, initial investigation disclosed that while resident Gil Calupaz, 27, was having a drinking spree with his friends, Ancheta arrived at the scene then had a heated argument with the former that led to a fistfight. Calupaz allegedly strangled the suspect but Ancheta was able to free himself. Apparently the suspect had a concealed gun, drew it and shot the victim and in the process also hitting the two minors.
Ancheta was arrested and is detained at the Caloocan City station. Recovered from the suspect was one glock 17 caliber 9mm with defaced serial number that was used in the shooting.
