Sinulog Festival: Lawmen had a hard time controlling rowdy crowd

CEBU, Philippines - Authorities yesterday admitted facing difficulties in responding to alarms during the Sinulog Festival Sunday night on Juana Osmeña Street due to the huge number of revelers who thronged the vicinity.

Chief Inspector David Señor, Cebu City Police Office-Police Community Relations chief, said many policemen were deployed in the area but the crowd was so thick, they could not immediately notice or respond to alarms.

“Daghan gyud kaayo na og pulis gibutang diha kay diha pud mi nag-focus. Pero mao sad lagi, daghan kaayo og tawo. Maglisod og agi ang mga mobile patrol,” he said.

Señor also said that when they call using their handheld radios, they could not hear each other clearly because of the noise.

“Mao sad na usa sa lapses. Kay ang radio, gikan pa na sa buntag unya og manawag mi, di pud mi magkadungog tungod sa kasaba sa lugar,” he said.

Carlo Borromeo, 38, and a resident of the area, had exposed through social media that five drunk men mauled him in front of his house Sunday night. He is currently recuperating in a private hospital.

Señor urged him to immediately come to CCPO so the police could help him identify his attackers.

“Ipa-blotter gyud na nila dapat para mo-prosper ang kaso. Og ma-file-lan, posible pa na nga maulian sila sa ilang (medical) expenses,” said Señor. He also assured the policemen will do their best in hunting down these culprits.

Barangay Capitol Site officials, on the other hand, admitted they likewise had a difficulty in managing the buildup of revelers, especially in controlling the numerous drunken people.

 “Ikaduha na ni nga tuig nga gubot gyud kaayo tungod anang mga street parties. Naglisod mi og control sa mga tawo labi na sa mga pundok sa kabatan-onan,” said Barangay Councilman Kelly Quijada, vice chairman of the barangay council’s committee on peace and order.

As to the mauling of Borromeo, Quijada said the incident did not reach them so they “cannot confirm on that report.”

“Maglisod mi og trace sa panghitabo,” he said.

Barangay Councilman Expedito Villarin, too, said they “were not able to control the crowd.” He said they also have not received any formal complaint from residents, which posed a problem since they could not respond to something that would not be brought to their attention.

“Kadungog ra ko nga adunay commotion nga nahitabo pero wala pay confirmed nga report sa barangay hall. Sa incident nga naay gikulata, ato-a diri nga maynta naay complaint nga ipadangat sa barangay hall aron ma-identify ang nangulata og maaksyonan nato. Maglisod mi og aksyon kon walay complaint,” he  said in a separate interview.

Quijada said night parties after the Sinulog Grand Parade has been a continuing problem they faced.

“Nihangyo na mi sa city nga dili na magpahigayon og street parties ug ibalhin layo sa carousel route,” he said.

Quijada lamented that drunken patrons of commercial establishments, especially the young ones, were “unruly” and were uncontrollable.

As to Quijano’s attackers, he said they already have the name of one possible suspect who were among the five who ganged up on him.

He said they will report what happened to him to the police along with his medical record as evidence.

At around 8:40 p.m. last Sunday, five men allegedly attacked Borromeo in front of his house after he admonished some partygoers who were applying paint and making scratch marks on his car as he tried to drive out to proceed to a friend’s house.

Borromeo said they were not interested at first to report to authorities as they felt there was nothing he could do since they could not identify the five men.

But after asking around, he said a witness mentioned someone, whom he could identify, as among those who attacked him. He will make a formal complaint on what happened to him so the police could start an investigation. —(FREEMAN)