Thursday, August 21, 2008 Drunk man stirs panic in Iligan
A DRUNK man shouting about the arrival of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) rebels in the vicinity caused massive panic in Iligan City Tuesday evening.
Hundreds of residents in downtown barangay in Iligan City came out of the streets bringing along their belongings and their children and readily boarded any available vehicle just so they could get away from the alleged coming MILF rebels.
Nevertheless, police and military authorities were on tight guard as they trooped to the bridge that connects Iligan City to Linamon, Lanao del Norte.
Kauswagan and Kulambogan towns, the two towns that were attacked by the MILF rebels last Monday, are just about 10-15 kilometers away from Iligan City.
Mayor Lawrence Cruz was compelled to go out live on local TV Tuesday around 10 p.m. to appeal to the people of Iligan not to panic and return to their homes.
He blamed the MILF for causing much fear among the people of Iligan that a mere rumor could easily make people jittery and panic.
Some residents heeded the mayor's call while others decided to leave just to be certain.
Rumors abound that the MILF rebels, believed to be just in the vicinity, are planning a major attack in Iligan City.
AFP vice chief of staff, Lieutenant General Cardoso Luna, however assured the public that the authorities are in control of the situation and that the MILF rebels are now on the run away from Iligan City. (BOT)
