A PRELATE blamed the tight police security for the sharp reduction of attendance during the traslacion or the procession of the Black Nazarene here Tuesday.
Monsignor Rey Monsanto, the parish priest of Our Lady Fatima Parish in Barangay Camaman-an here, said the ring of policemen and soldiers prevented the devotees from being able to go near the “Callejeron” or the revered replica of the Black Nazarene as its procession winds its way along the city streets.
“Going near or (throwing) their handkerchiefs to wipe the Callejeron is the highest form of veneration of the devotees. They were not able to do that last Tuesday,” Monsanto said.
More than 500 policemen and soldiers formed a tight ring around the coach carrying the “Callejeron” last Tuesday with strict orders not to allow anyone to go near it.
Police also stationed officers on buildings to discourage anyone from throwing confetti at the “Callejeron” as it passed by during the “traslacion” or procession.
“The heavy presence of soldiers and police may have negative reactions for the devotees because the Traslacion is for them,” Monsanto said.
Monsanto said that was the purpose of holding the “traslacion” when the Quiapo Church agreed to bring a replica of the Black Nazarene to Cagayan de Oro in 2009.
He said the instructions he got were from Quiapo Church officials for the Cagayan de Oro to hold the “Traslacion” here so that the people in Mindanao can gather here instead of going to Manila every January 9.
Father Der John Faborada, the head of the Cagayan de Oro archdiocese’s social communications department said he too heard of many complaints on the strict security protocols set by the police during last Tuesday’s Traslacion.
Faborada said the devotees complained that they were able to go near the “Callejeron” to touch or throw towels because of the presence of the tight ring of police and military.
He said many devotees also opted to go to Quiapo church now that the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted.
Cagayan de Oro Vicar General Monsignor Perseus Cabunoc said the archdiocese has entrusted the security of the religious event to the police and military in the aftermath of the Dec. 3 bombing of a Catholic Mass in Marawi City by extremists.
“Even I am scared of the prospects of somebody bombing the religious procession,” he said during a press conference last week.
Colonel Evan Viñas, spokesperson of the Cagayan de Oro Police Office said only 18,000 devotees joined the traslacion or procession last Tuesday, a sharp reduction of attendance from last year’s 110,000.
Viñas said one major reason for the smaller attendance this year is the non-declaration of a special non-working day on Tuesday by the local government of Cagayan de Oro.
He said it would have freed thousands of employees from work and joined the “traslacion.”
