THE Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) over the weekend maintained that the observance of the Holy Week was “generally peaceful” despite two separate stabbing incidents in Malasag, Cugman, which marred the religious observance of the Lent.
Police said three male minors aged 14, 15, and 16, were brought to the hospital after sustaining stab wounds on their bodies in separate stabbing incidents, Thursday, April 18.
Investigators have yet to establish if the two cases have the same suspects. The suspects have reportedly used an ice pick.
“Kamulo pa ang investigation. Ang isa ka incident bikil daw ang hinungdan kay nagkabanggaay unya ang ikaduha saba daw kaayo ang mga biktima unya kalit lang naay miduol unya nanumbag unya nibalos ni sila dayon niabot na sa pag-dunggab,” Cocpo spokesperson Mardy Hortillosa II said.
(Investigation is underway. One incident was due to some feud caused by physical collision, while the second incident was because the victims were noisy, and suddenly an assailant approached them and punched them, and they retaliated, too, which eventually led to stabbing)
Hortillosa said around 29,000 devotees have flocked the Malasag walkway to perform the way of the cross to remember the Passion of Jesus Christ.
An estimate of 64,000 faithfuls journeyed the nine river crossings to reach the Guadalupe Shrine in Barangay Agusan to complete their “Panaad”.
Again, authorities have seized prohibited items from devotees such as liquors, cigarettes, sound systems, bladed weapons, among others before they could begin their walk.
This is why, police are looking into why the stabbing suspects were able to use an ice pick when the security inspection was tight.
“Dili pa ta kaingon kung nakalusot ba sa inspection kay daghan man mga balay sa unahan ug gitan-aw pud namo kung naa ba mga shortcut nga dalan paingon sa taas,” Hortillosa said.
(We can’t say if they were able to get away from the inspection because there were many houses ahead, and we are looking if there were shortcuts in the roads going to the peak)
Last year, around 40,000 devotees have visited the city’s holy destinations, according to the police.
Misamis Oriental figures
Meanwhile, there were an estimated 56,000 visitors and pilgrims during the Holy Week in Misamis Oriental that took part in the religious events in Misamis Oriental province.
According to Carlo Dugaduga, provincial information officer, it multi-agencies reported that there were 35,810 visitors in Divince Mercy, El Salvador City, while 19,566 were in Sipaka Heights, in Talisayan.
The annual “Hinuklog (Contemplation),” or the retelling of Jesus Christ’s last days that led to his crucifixion, in Medina town had 500 visitors, while there was only one case reported to have one person experiencing heat exhaustion.