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Tuesday, August 02, 2005
Mayor: No idea of autonomous region meeting in Oro
By Lizanilla J. Amarga and Danilo Adorador III
CAGAYAN de Oro Mayor Vicente Emano on Monday denied any knowledge of last weekend's scheduled two-day political caucus of Autonomous Region Muslim Mindanao (Armm) leaders held in the city in preparation for the regions' elections next week.
Emano also voiced disappointment that the police and military weren't able to immediately react to the entry of heavily armed bodyguards of the unnamed Armm leaders.
The mayor said he did not lack issuing reminders to the neighboring government officials that the city prohibits the entry and display of heavy weapons by their bodyguards.
"There is an ordinance prohibiting such act," Emano reiterated.
Hundreds of Armm candidates, their allied political leaders and bodyguards gathered last weekend at VIP Hotel for a caucus.
During the intervals of their meeting, some of these leaders went over to some local department store and local food outlets in the city with their bodyguards who brought heavy firepower and small grenades.
City residents were alarmed over the band of soldiers outfitted with assault rifles, ammo belts, grenades and high-powered firearms. They were accompanied by police officers holding rifles and pistols.
"If they all suddenly fight or a rido takes place we would be hit by the grenades brought by the others...they should not have been allowed to enter the city with those things. Didn't Mayor Emano have an order on that?," a text message sent to this paper read.
Their presence was also accompanied by a bevy of luxury vehicles such as Lexus, Ford Expeditions, Pajeros and a black bullet-proof type Hummer worth P6 million.
Sun.Star Cagayan de Oro and some of the local media went to the VIP Hotel where the soldiers and police officers were holed up and most kept their mouths shut over the presence of the Armm political leaders.
The mayor said there is a city ordinance limiting the entry of high-powered firearms and blatant display of firearms in the city.
"I have not been remiss on reminding our leaders from neighboring areas not to bring their high-powered firearms in our city," he said.
(August 2, 2005 issue)
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