ILOILO CITY – A week-long gun ban for the Dinagyang Festival here this year was implemented starting on Friday, Jan. 13.
Brig. Gen. Leo Francisco, Police Regional Office 6 (Western Visayas) director, appealed for a peaceful celebration of the first physical Dinagyang in two years.
“We appeal to the public to cooperate and obey with the guidelines in order to avoid firearm-related incidents. Let us all enjoy the festivities and help each other to achieve a crime-free festival,” said Francisco.
The temporary suspension of Permits to Carry Firearms Outside of Residence (PTCFORs) is part of the security measures for Dinagyang. This year’s Dinagyang has a one week gun ban unlike past editions which only had three.
The gun ban ends on 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 23, the culmination of the festival that honors the Santo Niño (Child Jesus).
Major Grace Socorro Borio, PRO-6 spokesperson, cited the reason for the gun ban. “The purpose of this is to preempt any firearm-related incidents for the duration of the festivities,” Borio said.
Majority of policemen to be deployed for the festival will come from the Iloilo City Police Office. “The ICPO is waiting for an additional augmentation force from PRO-6 to help city cops deter criminalities during the Dinagyang Festival,” added Major Shella Mae Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson.
Sangrines added that ICPO is closely coordinating with the Iloilo Festivals Foundation Inc. (IFFI) and other law enforcement agencies for other security matters.
Dinagyang was last held face-to-face in 2020 and was held online in 2021 and 2022 because of the pandemic.