Sinulog Organizers Want to Ban Drones at Parade Route, Cebu City Sports Center

Organizers of the Sinulog Festival on Thursday said they want to prohibit the use of drones inside the Cebu City Sports Center (CCSC) and the entire parade route during the Sinulog grand parade on Sunday, Jan. 15.

Ricky Ballesteros, Sinulog Foundation Inc. (SFI) executive director, said they requested the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to ban the use of drone inside the CCSC and the entire four-kilometer parade route.

“Some drones are used for bombs, so for security reason, we’ve asked that they will not be allowed inside the sports center and the parade route,” he said.

Ballesteros said they also implemented the same policy last year, although a drone owned by the vice mayor of Tangub City managed to take off inside the CCSC.

Most drones were used by photographers and videographers to take overhead photos and video footage of the Sinulog grand parade.

Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Director, Chief Supt. Noli Taliño, said they are upgrading daily their security plan for Sinulog.

Taliño said bomb squads from AFP and the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) of the PNP are already in several key sites in the city, including inside the Basilica del Sto. Niño.

Aside from that, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Joel Doria said there are also several teams on foot patrol.

As part of the security measures, a proposal to install signal jamming devices in some points along the parade route was made, Doria said.

If approved, access to mobile communications will not be available in some areas in the city.

Doria said this is done since most of the bombs are being detonated through cellular phones. (PNA)LAP/EB/EDS