‘Very peaceful,’ solemn and colorful

Rows of multi-storied niches inside the Catholic-owned Carreta Cemetery in Barangay Carreta,
Cebu City.
(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, director of the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), described yesterday’s commemoration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in the region as “very peaceful.”

“We have not recorded any untoward incident,” he said.

Taliño said the region remained peaceful even if they stopped conducting checkpoints in response to an order from Camp Crame.

“Checkpoints will only be conducted once we receive A1 informations (sic) that criminals are passing by a particular area and when we conduct operations to intercept drug personalities,” Taliño said.

Stay alert

Although there were no threats, Taliño urged the public to remain alert. “It is not impossible that Region 7 is a target of terrorists. The region has always been a target because it is a tourist destination,” he said.

In Cebu City, the police office listed an estimated crowd of around 59,900 in all cemeteries, while they listed an estimated 980 people in van and bus terminals, according to Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) director Senior
Supt. Joel Doria.

At least 400 policemen will be deployed to the 21 cemeteries in Cebu City, reinforced by soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Central Command.

Timely intervention

In Mandaue City, around 20,000 flocked to the four adjoining cemeteries in Barangay Guizo, which nearly caused a stampede yesterday afternoon but was prevented by the timely intervention of police, military and crime volunteer groups.

The FB Cahabug Street, where the Mandaue Memorial Park (Manpark), Grosmar Memorial Garden, Catholic cemetery and the city public cemetery are located, was closed to vehicles but its sidewalks were all occupied by stalls
selling candles, flowers and food items, contributing to the congestion in the area.

Senior Insp. Janelito Marquez, Centro Police Station chief, however, said their crowd control was effective and there were also no reports of untoward incidents in all the city’s cemeteries.

In Lapu-Lapu City, the ankle-to-knee-length floodwater at the public and United Church cemeteries in Barangay Gun-ob caused by the heavy rains over the weekend did not stop people from visiting their dead relatives. The floodwater, however, subsided by late afternoon after it was siphoned off with the use of an electric pump, said barangay worker Allan Berame.

Hallowen

Reports from various police units revealed that thousands have still to leave the public cemeteries and memorials by 9 p.m., with a number seen donning colorful or scary Hallowen costumes.

But at a time when paranormal stories are abundant and frightening getups are starting to become the norm over the years during Kalag-kalag, Cebu Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop Oscar Florencio called on the Catholic faithful to focus more on what All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day represent, stressing that Hallowen practices are not Christian in origin.

Florencio said Kalag-kalag should not be seen as something to be scared of but as a reason to celebrate that like God and the saints, people can also lead holy lives. Florencio said Kalag-kalag is also celebration of God’s triumph and that everyone should seek to do good not just for himself but also for others.