A CITY police official said the use of drones during the street parade and floats, civic military parade and other Higalaay festival events that are open for the public will be controlled.
Superintendent Mardy Hortillosa II, spokesperson of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo), said they will control or limit groups who will be permitted to fly drones to cover the event.
"Ang police man in-charge sa security so most likely kami ang maghatag og permit unya atong kontrolon ang paggamit sa drones during sa parade,. Dili gyud tanan matugotan kay basin og magbangga na sa ibabaw(The police will issue permits and will regulate drones during the parade. Not everyone will be allowed to prevent aerial crash),"Hortillosa.
Hortillosa said there were already groups who have asked the police on what to comply to be authorized to fly drones during the parade.
The civic military parade and fluvial procession are among the core events of the city fiesta which are open to the public, and that Cocpo is mandated to secure the place to ensure safety of the people.
Hortillosa said more than a thousand police personnel are set to be deployed during the parade, excluding the deployment from the Armed Forces of the Philippines through the Task Force Oro.
Cocpo will ask the Police Regional Office (PRO)-Northern Mindanao for augmentation.
He said security plans for all parallel and core events are already in place. The police and military are sharing security plans.
"Dili nato pwede pasagdan sad ang uban areas nga dili covered sa parade (We will also secure other areas not covered by the parade)," Hortillosa said.
Policemen are ordered to be in their respective positions earlier than the scheduled time of the event to survey the area to ensure security and safety of the public.
Hortillosa said while there is no specific threat for the Higalaay festival, state forces are not letting their guard down even as the security checkpoints will be strictly implemented.
"Karon pa lang daan mas strikto atong checkpoints ug gihingusgan nato ang mobile patroling ug intelligence monitoring (Our checkpoints are stricter and we intensify mobile patrolling as well as intelligence monitoring)," Hortillosa said.
Authorities urged the public not to wear caps, sunglasses, and back packs during the said events