A stray bullet left a Catholic priest injured just after the northern city of Baguio rang in the new year.

The 60-year-old priest was celebrating the new year when a stray bullet suddenly hit his left shoulder at about 12:15 a.m. on Jan. 1.

He was immediately taken to the hospital for treatment and was later scheduled for operation on a fractured collarbone.

According to DzWT, the diocese’s AM radio station, the priest “is in stable condition”.

The report did not identify the priest but noted that he is assigned to a parish in the city’s Irisan district.

Authorities investigating the incident said the slug recovered was from a 9-millimeter caliber handgun as they launched a search for the suspect.