By LITO RULONA, Correspondent .
A TWO-DAY liquor ban will be enforced starting today in Cagayan de Oro ahead of the Traslacion procession in time for the Feast of the Black Nazarene tomorrow.
Police said they would strictly implement the city hall-ordered liquor ban and would apprehend violators starting today.
Cagayan de Oro City Police Office spokesman Supt. Mardy Hortillosa II said the liquor ban covers Barangay 1 to Barangay 40, Balulang, Bayabas, Bulua, Camaman-an, Carmen, Consolacion, Indahag, Iponan, Kauswagan, Macabalan, Macasandig, Nazareth and Patag.
“Mas maayo nga mapatuman ang liquor ban in areas affected by the Traslacion to avoid untoward incidents. Pasensiya na gyud niadtong mag-inum-inum diha,” Hortillosa said.
He said the police would be strict and would be on the lookout for violators of the ban especially during the procession tomorrow morning.
The police, according to Hortillosa, would be assisted by “force multipliers” in enforcing the liquor ban.
The force multipliers include barangay tanod members who have been tasked by Department of Interior and Local Government to provide the necessary support and to serve as augmentation forces.
Hortillosa said the barangay tanod members would be monitoring the neighborhoods to ensure that people would comply with the ban.
“We consider the Feast of the Black Nazarene as the grandest religious activity in the country, and we don’t like any untoward incident to happen,” he said.
Hortillosa said authorities even decided to increase the number of security forces in the city to 900 from 700 as earlier announced.
The reason for the increase, he said, is because police are anticipating more people to participate in the Roman Catholic activities in the city starting tonight.
Hortillosa said those who had a drink too many should not participate in the procession or they would be apprehended by authorities.
The ban, according to Hortillosa, means that commercial establishments, including department stores, may not sell intoxicating drinks during the two-day liquor ban.
He also reiterated warnings against the bringing of sharp objects during the religious activities even as he advised parents and guardians not to bring children during the procession. Bottled drinks and hard objects, including colored canisters and water jugs, are also prohibited.
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