Late cemetery visits, rush for vessel trips

Despite crowds at various cemeteries in Cebu City yesterday, All Saints’ Day was generally peaceful in the daytime, said police.

No crimes were reported there as of 6 p.m. but visitors were expected to swell in number as night set in, requiring more vigilance by law enforcers.

About 12,000 people visited Carreta cemetery, one of the biggest public cemeteries, where the crowd is expected to rise to more than 20,000 by midnight.

Senior Supt. Ramon Melvin Buenafe, Cebu City police chief, said 10,000 went to the Calamba cemetery in mid-afternoon.

He credited the generally peaceful atmosphere to strict security with about 500 policemen fielded in 15 cemeteries and the discipline of the visitors.

The few people found bringing liquor and bladed weapons were told to deposit their items at the entrance of the cemeteries and come back for them once they went home.

“I thank everybody for their cooperation’, Buenafe said.

The 24-hour police watch will continue until Nov. 3.

Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama who visited the major cemeteries in the city lauded the police for enforcing security at the cemeteries.

Railings installed at General Maxilom area kept Carreta cemetery visitors from breaking the line and breaching the gates.

One of those spotted visiting departed loved ones in the Queen City Memorial Garden were the relatives of the seaman who ran amok and killed his family in Talisay City.

A few flowers and a candle were placed on the tomb of Emmanuel Redula-Ponce.

Emmanuel killed his wife, Merlinda and then shot down his three children at their home in Talisay City last Oct 16.

Only the youngest child, Ebralaine Ponce, survived the massacre.

Emmanuel’s wife and three children were buried in Sorsogon.

Scores of visitors arrived as early as 7 a.m. at the private Cebu Memorial Park (Cempark) in Cebu City to visit their departed loved ones.

In Lapu-Lapu City, several bladed weapons were seized while alcohol and candles were confiscated from street children roaming public cemeteries.

Lapu-Lapu Mayor Paz Radaza ordered the city police chief to assign more policemen at cemeteries for the four-day holiday weekend.

The Cebu Coast Guard stopped eight colorum bancas from traveling at the Pasil fishport in Cebu City.

Commander Capt. Rolando Punzalan said the motor bancas that were scheduled to travel to the towns of Buenavista, Getafe and Talibon in Bohol province had no permit from the Maritime Industry Authority (Marina).

More than 300 passengers were told to find another vessel.

Punzalan said they recorded 22,000 passengers heading to their hometowns until 3 pm yesterday.

He said two special trips for Bohol were cleared to accommodate the influx of passengers.

Punzalan placed the number of passengers that left Cebu province last Wednesday at at 43,374.

There were seven special trips last Wednesday night to accommodate the passengers.

Since October 27, Punzalan said his office recorded 200,000 people who left the different ports of Cebu.

Most of these passengers headed for Bohol. /With Correspondents Fe Marie Dumaboc and Joy Cherry Quito