Iligan police to request signal cutoff during 'Diyandi Festival'

ILIGAN CITY – The Iligan City Police Office (ICPO) has requested the local government to support its move to cut cellphone signals during next month's "Diyandi Festival".

Senior Supt. Manuel Alvarez, ICPO chief, told a meeting of the Iligan City Peace and Order Council on Wednesday that they are taking lessons from the Isulan, Sultan Kudarat blast last Tuesday, which killed three people and wounded more than 30 others.

Alvarez has asked local officials to support ICPO's request for the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to cut off cellphone signal, as what Cagayan de Oro City government did during its Higalaay Festival on August 26-28.

He said the temporary loss of signal will only occur "during the highlights of the celebration." These include the Diyandi Street Dancing and Showdown and the Miss Iligan Beauty Pageant on Sept. 27; Civic-Military Parade on Sept. 28; and Fiesta Procession on September 29.

Alvarez said they have also requested signal cutoff during the opening ceremony of the Pakanaug--a Catholic ritual that starts the nine-day fiesta novena where thousands of devotees are expected to join -- on September 20.

“There are reports that the bomb in Isulan is triggered by cellular phones. This (signal jamming) was also practiced in Cagayan de Oro City when they conducted big activities, like procession and street dancing and it was successful,” Alvarez said.

The ICPO chief made it clear that the request for signal cutoff will only occur at a specific date and time of day. (PNA)