Araw celebration peaceful

AUTHORITIES can heave a sigh of relief with yet another peaceful celebration of Araw ng Dabaw, the 74th.

Senior Superintendent Rene O. Aspera, chief of the Davao City Police Office, said maintaining peace and order was well coordinated, as City Government, in partnership with the law enforcement agencies, has provided a full security for the different activities.

Some 2,000 policemen and soldiers were deployed to keep the peace.

"Maganda yung peace and order natin. Only the crowd medyo hindi natin gaano mapigilan yung dami, kasi lahat excited and eager na manguna sa linya para makapanood lang ng mga nagpaparada," Aspera said.

He said enjoyment was foremost in the minds of all those who went out to celebrate the charter day, thus no major crime incident happened.

Colonel Rey Leonardo Guerrero, commander of Task Force Davao (TFD), said they have been conducting checkpoints and patrols as they usually do and expressed relief that everything was peaceful.

"To sum up everything, masasabi ko na maganda ang cooperation ng local government and law enforcement agencies natin. Sa pagkakataong ito nakita natin na sa pagtutulong-tulong ng iba't-ibang ahensiya, na isakatuparan ang Araw ng Dabaw ng tahimik at maayos," Guerrero said.

Guerrero also said that this celebration would somehow remind the Dabawenyos on how far Davao City had gone.

"Naging matagumpay po ang Davao City, at para manatili yung ating tagupay, manatili tayo na may cooperation sa bawa't isa," Guerrero said.

Magno G. Adalin Jr., officer of the Davao City Public Safety Command Center, said he was satisfied with the way the celebration went and how they were able to monitor the major routes where the celebration was at a high.

"So far, I am very satisfied. Everybody is enjoying except for the weather, but it's fine at least dili init (it's not hot). Lahat naman nagtutulungan kung kaya maganda ang takbo ng ating selebrasyon," Adalin said.

Looking forward to the 75th Araw ng Dabaw, Adalin said he also looks forward to having more close circuit television cameras set up around the city, especially in the roads leading in and out of Davao. (ICT)