Panic time in Initao

By Nora Soriño

ILIGAN City — Nobody was ready for that tragic thing that struck the Misamis Oriental. town of Initao. The town, to note, is halfway between this city and Cagayan de Oro.

It’s noted, too, in jest, as “the town of witches.” Of which, people there receive it in a good-natured manner. So answering greetings of “How are the ‘wakwaks’ in Initao?” is answered with, “Well, it’s now one witch less.” Meaning, in jest, the speaker, too, is “wakwak.”

Laughter would soon follow that kind of greeting as in this modern world of ours, belief in such kind of things is associated with “backwardness.” The “witches” are beings one doesn’t have to be afraid of. It is the flesh and blood individual that one has to be afraid of. In other words, the living.

Like that one who went berserk that Thursday afternoon. When news spread out about what happened there, many people were concerned and afraid. Very, very afraid.

Gorio, a friend, said that he has an “apo” studying at the Initao Community College there. Baka, his apo was one of those who figured in that grenade incident?

On Thursday last week, Nov. 28, people here were shocked to hear of it. I first heard of it via national radio. The newscaster referred to the town as “Anitao.”

Our ears grew longer, I mean, mine and those who were listening, too. It was Initao, the newscaster was referring to, what else? And Gorio was anxious for his “apo” who was a student at Initao Community College. He called the kid. No answer. Hence, his immediate reaction to thinking of coming over there to the town. But Lina, a friend, prevailed upon him to just be calm and monitor the situation through broadcasts and FB.

It was a good decision for soon his kid called him up and assured him that he was in the boarding house, safe.

The dust in that tragic episode had then settled somewhat with two dead in its wake — a police officer and the person who went berserk. And several wounded.

It was then known that the police officers who went to the rescue did not really have that incident as their primary objective. They were to serve a warrant there. But the frantic call from the administrator of the school made them respond immediately to it as this was an emergency. Their main purpose could wait.

A case of being in the right place at the wrong time?

Many questions were raised in its wake. Like, why was that person able to carry a grenade undetected in the checkpoints? And, did he really went through the checkpoints? Ibrahim Basir of Tulay, Madamba, Lanao del Sur could have made it through Initao, passing through Talakag, Bukidnon, some pundits say.

It was learned, too, that the college there, which was near the DENR office, was not fenced. Hence, it was easy for the man to involve the school, too.

The two people who died in that unfortunate incident were Senior M/Sgt. Jason Magno and that man himself from Madamba. At least 17 people were hurt, reports say.

Like what I said, the police operatives there who responded to the call because somebody had gone berserk over some lumber that the DENR had confiscated, was there for another purpose. They were to serve a warrant to another person. But the call from the administrator of the school was more urgent. So, they had to attend to it immediately, forgetting for the moment what they were there for.

Now, for some time, Initao won’t be the same again. The flags there had been raised in half-mast, in deference to the man in uniform who had used himself as a human shield to save students. And to the other uniformed men as well, some words of inspiration.

It was said that the town of Initao marked a festival, Dec. 3, in some subdued manner, with several fun activities, canceled. And classes for one week, in the schools canceled, my friend Sita, who hails from Initao says. In deference still to what had happened.

And, on FB with the posts of that sad incident going viral, some blokes would not forget commenting about the “witches” there, how are they? Witches or “wakwak,” to note, are beings, ah, nevermind, you all have fertile ideas about who they are.

Not to be outdone, one “witch” commented in FB: “Why man, patakod ka?”

Now, if an investigation will be made on the matter, who will do it? The Sangguniang Bayan of Initao? The provincial government of Misamis Oriental? But employees of the national government are involved, too, like the DENR people. The national government? Ah, they are too busy defending Speaker Cayetano over some snafu on the SEA Games.

Who then? Well, your guess is as good as mine. And I think the witches there won’t get involved! Unless the witches are of a different kind… Oh no, I think I’m not making sense anymore…