NCRPO proposing new way to make Traslacion 2020 ”more solemn”

December 27, 2019

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) proposed a new strategy for the Traslacion 2020 that will make the celebration “more solemn” compared to previous years.

In a press briefing on Friday, Police Brigadier General Debold Sinas, acting f NCRPO director, said the new plan they are proposing to the Catholic Church will address the overcrowded procession route of the Black Nazarene.

“It’s time to make it a solemn procession,” Sinas said.

Sinas said they will duplicate deployment and security measures during the Sinulog Festival this year when he was regional director of the Central Visayas police.

“We meet with all the priests involved and asked them if we can change (the system of procession)… All streets will be clear… the police will be around the Andas (carriage) and we will have road security,” he said.

Based on his presentation, a patrol car will be leading the procession followed by Sinas and his district directors.

Police officers will be around the Black Nazarene and devotees who want to join the procession will be located at the back of the procession.

He said the priests also requested they join during the procession with this kind of system.

“The approach of the NCRPO (is) we will be committed on the Traslacion, not only the MPD (Manila Police District)… all district directors and myself, agreed we will support physically, mentally, morally and financially the MPD… we will be there during the procession,” Sinas said.

“That’s why we want to be there to assure the public that the police are ready and we are in the ground.  To give you assurance that the security plan is in effect because the whole leadership of NCRPO is there,” he said.

According to the NCRPO chief, they will test the plan on the Thanksgiving mass schedule on December 30.

The Thanksgiving mass on January 3 is the first event for the Traslacion  which will start on December 30 up to January 9.

“If it will not work, then we will go back to the old,” he said. “Whatever will happen during the Thanksgiving mass will be the same the Traslacion”.

Sinas said with clear roads, the procession may end between 5 pm to 6 pm compared to 10 pm from previous Traslacion.

“There will be less time to any threat, both criminal and terrorism. That’s our target. The organizers agreed to do whatever is better (for the event),” he said.

Yearly, at least a million devotees of the Black Nazarene join the Traslacion as a sign of their faith. Some devotees even throw their towel at the Black Nazarene as they believe it can heal them.

At least a million devotees are present during the procession as everyone wants to climb at the Black Nazarene for their towels.

This year, around 1.5 million devotees join the Traslacion where 714 sustained injuries

For next year’s event, the NCRPO is planning to buy towels which will be tossed to the devotees so there will be no need for them to climb or go near the Andas.

“We will discuss it (on the next meeting). The PNP is offering to donate around 3,000...  if there is a need to do that just to prevent people from mobbing (the Nazarene),” Sinas said.

He said the hijos who will be assigned as protectors of the Nazarene will be the ones throwing towels to the devotees during the procession.  

For those who will still go near the Andas or will be drunk during the procession, Sinas said there will be police officers, even a Bureau of Jail Management and Penology patrol on standby to arrest them.  Ella Dionisio/DMS