2 minors scolded for placards with sensual messages in Dinagsa festival

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Two male teenagers were reprimanded by the police after they were caught holding placards with sensual messages during the celebration of the 46th Dinagsa Festival in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental last Saturday.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Robert Mansueto, city police chief, said the minors aged 16 and 17 were caught near the grandstand and were brought to the City Hall.

Mansueto said the minors, who came with some friends were visitors in the city, who witnessed the festivity.

Aside from its colorful festival, the staging of Dinagsa also garnered mixed reactions from netizens after some photos circulated online showing a group of teenagers holding placards with sensual messages.

The Facebook post and photos already reached Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr., who directed the police to look for these people and confiscate the placards so that they can destroy them.

Mansueto said the two minors denied owning the placards, claiming they were just told to hold them for picture taking.

“We cannot find who really owns the placards because of the huge crowd, but we’ll make sure it won’t happen again,” he said, adding that he immediately destroyed the placards after their confiscation.

Mansueto said the minors were allegedly under the influence of liquor when they were asked for their reason of doing it. But they claimed that their actions were just part of their fun at the festival, the city police chief added.

Mansueto said it was the first time that this happened but he assured it will not happen again.

Meanwhile, a 27-year-old woman who was among those who were seen in the viral photos holding the placards, asked for forgiveness to the authorities and their parents, in an interview with Aksyon Radyo Bacolod yesterday.

She said that what she did was insensitive and that she regretted it.