No fiesta celebration for Bacani in Clarin this May

Victor Sanchez, village chief of Barangay Bacani, Clarin, Bohol says there will be no crowd-drawing activities for the village’s fiesta celebration on May 2, and 3.
CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA

IT will be the first time for Barangay Bacani in Clarin town of Bohol to celebrate its fiesta without the festivities.

This was decided by the village officials yesterday as they have to postpone some fiesta-related programs that involved placing large crowds in public for security reasons, since there are still two or three members of Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) on the loose.

Bacani will celebrate its fiesta on May 2 and 3, but the celebration this year will be different since the barangay officials will be taking out disco and concert events in their celebration, said Bacani Barangay Captain Victor Sanchez Jr.

“Apektado gyud uban natong activities tungod sa nahitabo. Sa pagkakaron, ato sa isuspenso kay delikado pa (The recent incident has a major impact on our activities. As of now, we are suspending public activities because it’s still dangerous),” Sanchez said.

Sanchez, who grew up in Bacani, said they were saddened by these changes, but they have no choice but to put the safety of everyone first. .

The village chief said that since Bacani is one of the barangays in Bohol that celebrate the fiesta in the first days of May, their fiesta has been setting the mood for the rest of the province.

Bohol is known for its month-long fiesta celebrations during May, with different villages and towns holding a fiesta celebration practically every day.

Sanchez said the fiesta celebration in his village has consistently been a crowd drawer for Boholanos coming from other barangays in Clarin and from its neighboring towns.

Bacani is one of the 13 barangays in Clarin town, which was greatly affected by the encounter of government troops and members of ASG.

Residents in Bacani were evacuated last Saturday when firefights against the ASG group led by Boholano Joselito Melloria erupted.

“Nisabot raman pud sila (residents) nga dili sa mag-activities aron likay sa kagubot. Mga peace-loving man sad gud mi dinhi mao naukay gyud mga kaigsuonan natong Boholano nga naabot ang Abu Sayyaf dinhi,” Sanchez said.

(The residents also understand that we need to suspend activities to avoid untoward incidents. We are peace-loving citizens, that is why we were shocked that Abu Sayyaf came to Bohol.)

Sanchez said that before the encounter in Clarin, they have started some fiesta-related activities, like the basketball tournament. But it was immediately suspended and would not resume until further notice, he said.

State of calamity

The municipal government of Clarin also placed the town under state of calamity on Monday, two days after the encounter between government troops and members of the ASG.

Mayor Rey Piezas said the declaration was necessary so that town officials could facilitate the release of aid to over 2,000 people from about 600 families from Barangays Bacani, Caboy and Nahawan who were evacuated to government centers following the exchange of gunfire on Saturday.

On Monday, the affected barangays have reached to 13 of the town’s 25 barangays as government troops widens areas covered by their pursuit operations.

“Naapektahan gyud ta. Everytime adunay impormasyon dunay bandido, atong mga kapolisan ug sundalo moadto gyud sa barangay. Definitely maka-create siya og panic sa katawhan,” Piezas said.

(We are greatly affected. Every time there is an information about the bandits, our police and soldiers immediately proceed to the barangay and it causes jitters among the residents.)

Four ASG members, including their local contact Joselito Melloria, were killed during the encounter. Government troops are hunting for two to three more ASG members.

Piezas said there is great possibility that the three ASG members are still in their town, adding that the continued hot pursuit operation by the military could eventually affect other barangays in their town; hence the need to place the town under a state of calamity.

Clarin, a fifth class municipality, has a population of at least 18,040 based on the census on population done in 2000.