Partygoers get the last word

DESPITE warnings that street parties will be banned during the Sinulog, parties with loud music and liquor were still held in the streets to cap the day-long revelry last Sunday.

Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el Jr., officer-in-charge of the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO), said, though, that they didn’t arrest anyone for holding a street party. They also did not confiscate sound systems because the gatherings were considered “tolerable.”

“Considering the police were busy securing the grand parade, we didn’t prioritize regulating the parties,” he told reporters yesterday.

Natu-el said some policemen were still deployed to monitor the parties and ordered to exercise maximum tolerance.

Deterrent

Earlier, the Cebu City Police Coordinating and Advisory Council (PCAC) announced that there would be no permits granted for street parties during the Sinulog celebration.

Parties would be allowed only inside the barangay complex or gym, and the police would monitor street gatherings.

Natuel had warned that the sound system would be confiscated from those who would have intolerable loud music on the streets, as a way of ensuring peace and order during the Sinulog.

In separate interviews last Sunday night, revelers said they should not be stopped from having fun, especially during the Sinulog.

“I understand their sentiments because everyone’s in a festive mood. The purpose of the warning was for it to serve as a deterrent so revelers wont’ go wild,” Natu-el said yesterday.

Johanna Basayas, 18, said she understood the concern of the police to keep the parties safe.

“Boring kaayo ang Sinulog kung wala’y party. Dapat sabton sad na nila (The Sinulog would be boring without the parties. They should understand that also),” she said.

Minor incidents

Meanwhile, 24-year-old tourist James Fick from the US said Sinulog would not be a great festival without the parties.

“They must learn how to have fun. It’s only for a night,” he told Sun.Star Cebu.

On Arlington Pond St., a party was held on the road last Sunday, which irked some motorists because of the traffic it caused.

“What’s Sinulog kung wala’y party?” shouted 21-year-old Mike Nestor, an engineering student.

A shirtless man even climbed on top of a passing truck and started waving his shirt while dancing.

What he did drew cheers from the revelers but frustrated the truck driver.

TV5’s Aksyon Bisaya also reported a melee when a group of youngsters ganged up on two boys on Gen. Maxilom Ave. last Sunday night.

The police were able to disperse the crowd quickly, but the youngsters managed to flee.