No threats monitored for Black Nazarene rites–ISAFP

A replica of the iconic Black Nazarene NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

MANILA, Philippines–No direct threats have been monitored as authorities gear up for the Feast of Black Nazarene on Wednesday, the military said on Monday.

“Sa ngayon intensive monitoring tayo pero wala tayong namo-monitor na direct threat dun sa Feast of Nazarene so far (To date, we’ve been doing intensive monitoring but so far, we have not monitored any threat for the Feast of Black Nazarene),” Intelligence Service of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (ISAFP) Commander Brigadier General Eduardo Año said.

He added that they have deployed intelligence agents to monitor developments since Thursday.

Last year, the government announced reports of possible threats the day before the feast. As a precaution, mobile signals were shut down in case cellphones were used as triggering devices for bombs.

The 22-hour procession, the longest in history due partly to broken wheels sustained by the carriage bearing the venerated image of the Black Nazarene and the refusal of church authorities to take shortcuts, ended safely.