SNIPERS, K9 units, and a large police force will be deployed during the annual Black Nazarene procession in Cagayan de Oro this coming Thursday.
The religious event, one of the largest outside Metro Manila, commemorates the 18th-century transfer of the revered icon from Intramuros to Quiapo Church.
Lt. Col. Nerfe Valmoria, chief of operations of the Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, warned drone operators that any unmanned aerial vehicle straying into the procession route will be shot down.
The traslacion will follow the route from the St. Augustine Metropolitan Cathedral to Nazareno Church in Barangay Lapasan.
Valmoria also announced a temporary shutdown of telecommunication services along the procession route for security reasons.
“We are not taking chances. Sniper teams will be stationed on high-rise buildings along the route,” Valmoria told reporters.
The life-sized statue of the Black Nazarene will be escorted by 270 police officers to prevent devotees from climbing the carriage.
Church officials have urged devotees to avoid throwing towels or handkerchiefs at the icon, a common tradition during the procession.
Nonito Oclarit, chief of the Road and Traffic Administration, said vehicular traffic will be rerouted, and truckers will be advised to take the coastal roads.
“There will be paramedics walking with the devotees to provide medical assistance if needed,” said Nick Jabagat, head of the Cagayan de Oro Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office. He noted that five devotees required medical attention during last year’s traslacion.
Despite extensive security measures, church officials observed a decline in the number of devotees since the procession resumed after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Monsignor Perseus Cabunoc, parish priest of Nazareno Church, expects between 15,000 to 20,000 devotees this year — a significant drop from the 120,000 turnout in 2023.
“It seems we haven’t fully recovered from the pandemic fears,” Cabunoc said. He attributed the low turnout to parallel processions held in Iligan City, Manolo Fortich, and Malaybalay City in Bukidnon.
Cabunoc expressed concern over the dwindling interest of younger parishioners.
“We now have a generation more engrossed in mobile phones and social media than church activities,” he lamented.
However, Wenceslao Salcedo of the Hijos del Nazareno de Cagayan de Oro criticized the “excessive” security measures, blaming the heavy police presence for discouraging devotees from approaching the icon.
“The tight security around the carriage kept devotees from getting close to the Black Nazarene,” Salcedo said.
