EDITORIAL - Preventing crimes during Sinulog

It's now Sinulog season and Cebu City is now awash with activities honoring Cebuanos' most favorite child, the Santo Niño. Many Catholic devotees from all corners of the world are set to return to celebrate the feast.

While Sinulog is about paying homage to the Holy Child, it is also an opportune time for many to ply their evil trade. While the faithful are preoccupied with their religious rituals, criminals are also busy pulling off their business.

Because it involves huge gatherings, Sinulog has been the favorite time for criminals to strike it big. Previous incidents would tell us about many devotees being robbed or killed during the fiesta celebrations.

That is why authorities are always on high alert. In the run-up to the Big Day, the city police office would normally place its personnel under heightened alert as they brace for the surging visitors.

Good thing the military is also stepping in to help. For these festivities, the Central Command is deploying at least 510 personnel as augmentation force in the effort to maintain peace and order.

But despite the tight security, criminals can still find time to victimize many devotees. They are still the main force to reckon with, giving headache to authorities as far as the security implementation during the festivities is concerned.

The only thing that would keep devotees safe is for them to be on alert during their celebration. They should be aware that they can be victimized anytime. So the best way is to avoid doing things that would only invite the attention of criminals.

In any event as colossal as the Sinulog, the people should not leave their security to the authorities alone. They too have the obligation to protect themselves from lawless elements.

By seeing to it that they are safe from any crimes, the devotees are also helping the authorities in the effort to keep the criminals at bay. Fighting crime is just a matter of preventing ourselves from being victimized.