Friday, January 11, 2008 Roperos: Security and politics By Gofredo M. Roperos Politics Also
AS the Sinulog festivities draw closer, curious Cebuanos who only heard about but have not seen the dancing inmates of the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) are still hopeful Mayor Tomas Osmeña, in deference to the Santo Nino, would relent, and allow the inmates to perform even just for five minutes.
After all, with the deep faith the Cebuanos hold for the Christ Child, I am sure He won’t allow something untoward to happen.
Besides, such an opportunity for the inmates to win public appreciation may just be the means to gain for them self-respect and endow them with self-worth and self-confidence. Truth to tell, many of the inmates are just waiting for opportunities to make something of themselves.
Many people believe that if the inmates are allowed to dance even for five minutes, with one guard for each of the one hundred participants watching them, nobody would risk escaping as it will cost him his life or will leave him rotting in jail.
The point at issue really is more of politics rather than of security. But I understand that the governor has seen Mayor Tom’s way on in the matter of security.
However, the issue continues to nag the minds of religious Cebuanos. They are concerned with the way politics has crept into the celebration of the Feast of the Santo Niño.
In the past, it was just the nine-day novena, the procession and the dancing at the Basilica. But politics of tourism came in, and the Sinulog was born. It was good for the economy, and the colorful embellishments made the day for the visitors.
But the issue on the dancing inmates has placed the Church-City Government relationship in a new perspective. While the Church is silent on the issue, indicating that it does not want to have anything to do with it, still the situation demands a keener look.
The international recognition Cebu’s dancing inmates received won for them not only an enhanced self-respect but also a collective change in their image. It is the reason why Capitol consultant Byron Garcia explored the possibility of having the inmates present their act during in Sinulog 2008 at the Cebu City Sports Center on Jan. 20.
And Sinulog Foundation officials, always in search of new numbers to present the thousands of visiting tourists, were even initially titillated at the thought.
