Negros Oriental Police personnel are stepping up their campaign against loose firearms following two shooting incidents at the start of the year, an official said yesterday.

Captain Stephen Polinar, spokesperson of the Negros Oriental Police, said in a media interview that investigators are digging deeper into the motive behind the shootings.

The shooting incidents were reported in Bayawan City and Dumaguete City this week.

A police report showed that in Bayawan City, a 26-year-old man from Sitio Pitigo 1 in Barangay San Jose was allegedly shot by a 49-year-old suspect on Monday, January 5.

The suspect, a farmer, also hails from Barangay San Jose, and surrendered to authorities afterward.

The incident transpired at a birthday party where the victim was allegedly intoxicated and caused a commotion.

He left the gathering and returned later with a gun and allegedly started pointing it at the guests, during which the suspect grappled with him and got the firearm and shot the former.

The victim is now in stable condition at a hospital in Kabankalan City, Negros Occidental.

Meanwhile, a 35-year-old resident of Barangay Mangnao-canal in Dumaguete sustained gunshot wounds but survived the attack on Tuesday evening, January 6.

Two people riding a black scooter were identified as the perpetrators.

Polinar said persons of interest have already been identified and are the subject of police investigation. (PNA)