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Cagayan de Oro fiesta successful; Fear of MILF rogue attacks still hounds city

August 28, 2008

By Lizanilla J. Amarga

Despite how the Cagayan de Oro fiesta activities had been pulled-off successfully, a number of local residents still expressed fears on how the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) renegade groups may still be just around the corner to finally hit on Cagayan de Oro city.

Local residents also lamented how many of their relatives and friends whom they consider as “regular fiesta visitors” have begged-off from making the trip to this city this year.

Epifanio Jose Villanueva, a local resident in Barangay Carmen, said the Iligan City bombing and hacking where some 30 people died were incidences that have been “just too close to Cagayan de Oro city.”

He also pointed out how the MILF rogue leaders Commander Abdullah Macapaar a.k.a. Commander Bravo and Commander Umbra Kato are still at large.

“And we just don’t know there might just be groups and even MILF sympathizers who are all too willing nga mosakay sa panahon karon,” he told Gold Star Daily.

Former city councilor Atty. Roy Raagas as a local resident also voiced his fears saying the city is not yet out of the woods.

He added that the stepping up of some security measures in the city and the neighboring towns must still push on and that people should not be less vigilant just because fiesta activities have been pulled off successfully.

Raagas pointed how he believes that there are yet more problems to come along for city residents considering that Cagayan de Oro city mayor Constantino Jaruala and vice-mayor Vicente Emano are both inviting MILF leaders to the city.

He said the Jaraula-Emano open invitation to the MILF “further enrages the anger and disgust” felt by the families of those civilian victims in the Lanao areas who were attacked by the MILF and those who Mindanao leaders who feel betrayed by the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain.

“They should stop any effort from unnecessarily inviting and bringing MILF leaders to Cagayan de Oro with their security forces in full battle gear,” he said.

Meanwhile, Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) Isagani Genabe, Jr. and Fourth Infantry Division public affairs officer Maj. Michele Anayron both assured that there will be no lowering of the alert level despite how the fiesta celebration are over.

They said they are now on 24-hour alert status and no police or military personnel are allowed to take any leave or be absent unless it is urgently necessarily and duly approved by their head superiors.

Written by admin · Filed Under Cagayan de Oro 

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