Ilocos Norte logs zero crime on New Year

As fireworks lit up the skies to welcome 2026, the Ilocos Region rang in the New Year on a generally peaceful note — with Ilocos Norte standing out for recording zero crime incidents during the holiday celebrations.

According to the Police Regional Office 1 (PRO1), most of the incidents logged across the region were linked not to crime, but to fireworks and pyrotechnics. As of 6 p.m. on Friday, PRO1’s Ligtas Paskuhan monitoring recorded 489 incidents, the majority involving violations in the possession, sale, and use of firecrackers. Sixty-five people were reported injured due to fireworks.

Despite the regional numbers, Ilocos Norte posted a clean slate. Police reported no cases of robbery, theft, homicide, murder, or other focus crimes. There were also no fire incidents, a feat Fire Superintendent Roxanne Parado, the provincial fire marshal, credited to the Bureau of Fire Protection’s (BFP) early and aggressive safety campaign. The BFP intensified advisories, preparedness drills, and coordination with communities well before the holidays.

Police visibility also played a key role. Ilocos Norte Provincial Director Police Colonel Jeomar Labiano said officers were deployed early, with support from Mobile Forces and the Special Action Force strategically positioned in critical and densely populated areas. The goal, he said, was to stay ahead of potential trouble — and it worked.

Still, the celebrations were not entirely without incident.

Two firecracker-related injuries were recorded in the province.

In Laoag City, police received a report around 1:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day about a 37-year-old man, identified as “Alias Bert,” who suffered severe hand injuries after a twist-type firecracker exploded while still in his hand. He was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Another case was reported in Dingras, where a minor was injured after an improvised explosive hidden inside a Yakult container suddenly detonated while being checked. The child sustained burns to the face, chest, and arm but was treated and later discharged.

Elsewhere in Region 1, Ilocos Sur recorded 150 incidents, La Union logged 156, and Pangasinan reported 112, including one shoplifting case. Dagupan City police recorded five incidents, one of which involved a fire. Ilocos Sur also reported two cases of illegal discharge of firearms.