The Philippine National Police in Negros Oriental said no untoward or unusual incidents related to yesterday's celebration of the 22nd EDSA people power revolution were monitored in Dumaguete City and elsewhere in the province.

Up to presstime, the PNP Provincial Office at Camp Fernandez, in Agan-an, Sibulan town, has not received any report of mass protests in the different towns and cities.

Guihulngan City was among the top priorities among areas under strict monitoring but there was no report of mass actions by militant or other groups like those in Metro Manila and other larger and urban areas, the police said.

In Dumaguete, only a handful of motorcabs-for-hire which belonged to a transport group staged a motorcade around the city, bearing placards that called for the revelation of the truth behind the ZTE national broadband network scandal.

Police intelligence sources said the peace and quiet that prevailed in Negros Oriental can be interpreted, to mean, among other things, that people in the province have priorities other than taking to the streets, like putting food on the table.

PNP Provincial Director S/Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe said, the peaceful commemoration of the EDSA people power here reflects the peace-loving nature of the people from Negros Oriental.

The PNP Provincial Office held a simple flag-raising ceremony at Camp Fernandez in observance of the people power that, in 1986, led to the toppling of the Marcos dictatorship.

Buenafe said he reminded the men in uniform to remain loyal to the Constitution.

"We stand united and solid as an organization and we have better things to do as far as preserving peace and order is concerned....than being concerned with politics," Buenafe said.

Random check-points were held across the province, as the police in the country was placed under heightened alert.

Buenafe said the gun ban took effect at noontime yesterday until March 3, and the police are taking necessary measures to prevent some people and groups to take advantage of the shaky situation prevailing in the country.*JG

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