As deadly bombings rock Mindanao, Duterte mulls calling off Kadayawan

by Earl O. Condeza
Davao Today

Davao City – With security concerns rising after the spate of bombings around Mindanao, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said there is a possibility of cancelling this year’s Kadayawan Festival and promised to finalize the pronouncement come August 13.

“If I feel in my gut that there is really danger on our safety and on human lives, I might just scrap the holding of the festival,” the mayor told reporters in a press briefing at Yellow Fin Restaurant, Wednesday.

Bea, A UP Mindanao student said it would be sad if Kadayawan would be postponed.

“Ma-disappoint ko, kay mawala ang essence na every year naga-celebrate ta sa abundant resources ng city. Pero kung safety sa mga tao, siguro kung pwede i move na lang. Mas better man gud mu-iwas kesa mag take ug risk (I will be disappointed in case the festival will not push through, but if it’s all about safety, rescheduling of the event will be an option. For it is better to be cautious than take the risk)” she told Davao Today.

A UP Mindanao alumna Andrea Carreon said, “Wala man siguro’y como sa pag-amping. Bahala nag way celebration basta wala’y mangamatay.(There’s nothing wrong to be cautious. I wouldn’t mind if there’s no celebration as long as no lives are lost.”

The mayor said he will announce his decision on the fate of the festival on August 13 Tuesday after an evaluation of the city’s security situation.  Duterte said his top concern is not to put the lives of the people in peril.

“If you will give me a margin of safety, in a scale of 1 to 10, I would say 7.5, if 7.5 will ensure safety and proper, we’ll go ahead, but, short of that standard, let’s say at 5, we’ll go home and sleep early,” he explained.

The mayor believed the recent bombings starting with Cagayan de Oro in July 26, Cotabato City last Monday, and Midsayap early Wednesday were interconnected, but did not elaborate when he called these as “acts of terrorism. We need the confirmation of the claims of the United States.”

The United States government issued an advisory last week to its embassies following reported new threats from a terrorist group Al Qaeda.

Duterte said he has to enforce tighter security measures, calling it short of Martial Law. “There will be a very tight watch. But unlike martial law, there will be no curfew.”

Earlier the Davao City Police announced to the public to refrain from bringing backpacks in the Kadayawan for security purposes. (Earl O. Condeza/davaotoday.com)