Crucifixion turns into a parody

CEBU, Philippines - The unruly crowd in Barangay Duljo-Fatima has turned Gilbert Bargayo's 17th crucifixion last Friday into a parody.

Foreign tourists were disappointed because they failed to see the actual nailing of Bargayo to the cross.

Close to 20 foreigners have their video cameras ready to document the actual driving of the nail into Bargayo's hands, but the thrill was dampened by the local kibitzers blocking their view.

“They are not prepared to prevent the crowd from going in,” one of the foreigners said while shaking his head in frustration.

Even the members of the media, especially the photographers and the cameramen, have to compete with the crowd to be able to take a good shot of Bargayo.

Duljo-Fatima Barangay Captain Elmer Abella admitted they lack crowd control personnel.

“Dili g'yud matabang, kuwang g'yud ta og crowd control personnel (It's difficult to handle because we lack crowd control personnel),” Abella told The FREEMAN.

There were only more than 10 policemen from Mambaling Police Station assigned to augment the barangay tanods. The number was not enough to control the crowd who wanted to get closer to witness Bargayo nailed to the wooden cross.

One of the speakers of the “Siete Palabras” also got distracted by a running child who caused his microphone to fall.

The incident has drawn laughter from the spectators because the speaker screamed "panuway" (demon) in the middle of his reflections on the seventh word uttered by Jesus Christ before he died on the cross. — /FPL (FREEMAN)