Melee mars Borongan religious festival

BORONGAN CITY — A brawl disrupted the annual Padul-ong Festival in Borongan City on Monday, 7 September, marring celebrations for the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Witnesses said the trouble began during the announcement of winners in the street dancing competition, when some participating students allegedly threw plastic bottles in protest of the results.

The crowd later became rowdy, with monoblock chairs reportedly thrown between opposing groups at the town plaza across Borongan Cathedral.

The Padul-ong Festival reenacts the transfer of the image of the Virgin Mary from Barangay Punta Maria through a fluvial parade across Raws Bay to the city port, followed by a procession to the cathedral.

Schools from Borongan and nearby towns also participate in a street dancing competition, with winners announced at the town plaza after the procession.

Borongan City Mayor Jose Ivan Dayan Agda said he was saddened by the incident, saying it showed disrespect to the city’s patroness and left a poor impression on visitors.

Agda ordered an investigation and warned that those involved could face sanctions, possible criminal charges and removal from government aid programs.