Photo by Ercel Maandig, Inquirer Mindanao
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Authorities here have not recorded any untoward incident in relation to the observance of the feast of the Jesus Nazareno on Thursday.
“It was generally peaceful,” said Lt. Col. Evan Viñas, spokesperson of Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO).
COCPO had put up elaborate security preparations for the feast, deploying a force of up to 500 people composed of police officers, village watchmen, and coast guard and Army personnel to secure the route of the traslacion or procession, the Cathedral where the Jesus Nazareno image was brought on Jan. 8 for public vigil, and the Jesus Nazareno parish church where devotees flock for the chance to touch the revered life-sized statue of Christ bearing the cross.
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Bomb-sniffing dogs from the Army, coast guard and police were also deployed as well as snipers who served as observers atop high-rise buildings, monitoring the conduct of the traslacion.
Two layers of Army and police personnel guarded the carriage of the Nazarene image that was manned by members of the Hijos del Nazareno, preventing the onrush of devotees scrambling for an opportunity to wipe clothes on the statue while on procession.
Photo by Ercel Maandig, Inquirer Mindanao
Upon the request of the police and the local government, telecoms signals were jammed from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., while the traslacion was going on.
Brig. Gen. Jaysen De Guzman, Northern Mindanao police director, said they prepared well for the security, just like before, to give no chance for potential saboteurs.
The local government’s roads and traffic administration mobilized over 100 personnel to impose road closures around the Cathedral starting at 1 p.m. on Jan. 8, as well as along the traslacion route starting at 1 a.m. on Jan. 9, said the agency’s chief, Nonito Oclarit.
The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Department (CDRRMD) set up eight medical aid stations along the procession route and deployed two standby medical teams at the Nazarene parish and the Cathedral that were staffed with regular government health personnel and volunteers from the Red Cross and Oro Rescue, and medics and rescuers from the Bureau of Fire Protection, among others.
CDRRMD chief Nick Jabagat said they also have rescue medics on foot patrol. Jabagat was glad to note that no one had to be attended to by the medics.
After a Holy Mass, the Nazarene image was brought out of the cathedral at around 6 a.m. on Thursday for the traslacion along a 2.5-km route that ended in two hours.
Per police estimate, about 13,000 people flocked to the streets for the traslacion that emulates Christ’s walk on Calvary, driven by their faith that doing so, and touching the sacred image brings healing to them and their loved ones.