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Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Editorials: Akrho-Tau Gamma clash
When organizers allowed the Alpha Kappa Rho (Akrho) to join again this year’s Sinulog grand parade, eyebrows were raised especially by people hoping that the possibility of violence flaring up in the celebration would be minimized.
In the 2005 Sinulog, Akrho and its rival group Tau Gamma engaged in a stone-throwing incident momentarily disrupting the grand parade and forcing the police, which already were short of personnel, to deploy people to watch over the contingent.
This year, the same stone-throwing incident involving the two fraternities erupted, prompting people to question again the sanity of allowing Akrho, or fraternities similarly situated, to join the said activity.
False hope
Which reminds one of a house owner who thinks of fixing the hole in the roof only when the rain comes or a man who vows to go to the dentist only when a tooth aches.
This is because, immediately after last year’s incident, the Cebu City police through its acting chief Melvin Gayotin, announced his plan to ask the Sinulog Foundation to exclude Akrho from this year’s grand parade.
Apparently, the Sinulog Foundation refused to heed what experience taught, probably in the hope that things would be different this time around.
Mayor’s defense
Besides, the activity’s organizers apparently didn’t want to clash with Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña, who has been spirited in his defense of Akrho’s participation.
“One or two stones, acceptable na under the circumstances,” he said then, insisting that Sinulog should not discriminate any group.
Incidentally, the mayor reacted the same way to the recent clash, which means that the Sinulog organizers may decide on Akrho’s fate in the same way also—risk again another violent incident by allowing the group to join the parade next year.
Being objective
But really, there is a need for organizers to objectively assess the participation of Akrho or other similarly situated fraternities in future Sinulog activities.
While ideally it is good not to discriminate against any group, this should also be weighed against the greater good and the effort to maintain law and order during Cebu City’s most important annual festivity.
The point is not that only one or two stones were thrown or that the police were able to minimize the damage by stopping the altercation, but rather that the clash did happen (and for two Sinulog parades already) and may happen again if nothing is done.
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 17, 2006 issue)
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