TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Philippines — The Tacloban city government had disallowed the Pintados-Kasadyaan Festival of Festivals dance parade, that should have been the highlight of the Tacloban City’s month-long fiesta celebration through the city’s main thoroughfares last June 27. The dance parade had been a tradition in this city for decades already.

The Tacloban city government, through its Traffic Operation Management Enforcement Control Office (TOMECO), barricaded main street Real corner, Burgos Street with its traffic enforcers and city volunteers, riot squads, and heavy equipments to prevent the anticipated street show from pushing through with its desired course through Justice Romualdez Street and Rizal Avenue.

The unfortunate incident happened despite the Regional Trial Court’s (RTC) granting a 20-day Temporary Restraining Order in favor of Pintados Foundation Inc. against the Tacloban city government.