CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – A carabao that was part of the activities of Ozamiz City’s annual fiesta ran amok on Saturday.
Witnesses said the carabao, a full grown male bull, lost its temper when it was paraded around the Birhen sa Cotta grounds where the final judging of street dancing also took place.
The street dancing competition was one of the highlights of the Subayen Keg Subanen Festival.
“Maybe it was feeling overwhelmed when it saw the place packed with people, with all the noise and color that filled the venue,” according Gerry Lee Gorit, a photojournalist who covered the event.
Gorit said its owner was riding the carabao but lost control of the animal when it started thrashing about and could no longer be subdued.
A video footage showed the carabao attacking the crowd as people ran in different directions.
Shouts of “Oh, my God” were heard as it plowed into a group and as orders of “Pusila! Pusila!” (Shoot it! Shoot it!) were given by Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog Sr., who was on stage when the carabao ran amok.
After it was shot about five times by responding policemen, the bull fell to the ground.
Its carcass was butchered and distributed to the village chiefs who were there./rga