Nazarene devotees also pray for drug war dead

VIPS IN PRAYER At the midnight Mass at Quirino Grandstand: (From left) former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada, his father Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, Philippine National Police Director General Ronald dela Rosa, Metro Manila police chief Director Oscar Albayalde, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Danny Lim. —EDWIN BACASMAS

Some devotees of the Black Nazarene who came from Caloocan City said they were praying not only for their families but also for those who had lost loved ones in the war on drugs.

“We ask for many things, for blessing in our own lives. But we also pray for those who died because of the (antidrug campaign) ‘Oplan Tokhang’ in our area, especially since they included fellow devotees,” said Brando Mariano, a 30-year-old resident of Barangay 127, Caloocan.

The Caloocan City police made headlines last year over a series of questionable raids against alleged drug users or pushers and other crime suspects, including operations that killed teenage boys.

Mariano and his group were among the estimated 3.5 million devotees (as of 4 p.m. Tuesday) who joined this year’s “traslacion” or the annual grand procession of the Black Nazarene image from Quirino Grandstand to the minor basilica of Quiapo in Manila.

The feast is considered one of the biggest Catholic events in the country, drawing believers who risk injury as they jostle through thick crowds to touch, kiss or dab handkerchiefs on the dark statue of Jesus carrying a cross.

Mariano, who had been attending the traslacion for over a decade, cited the case of brothers Joel and Rommel Urbano who were shot dead inside their house on Tagaytay Street, Barangay 127, in October 2016.

Reports said Joel, 32, and Rommel, 54, were killed after allegedly shooting it out with the police during a buy-bust operation.

However, John Christopher Hernandez, another Nazareno devotee for the last 14 years, doubted the official version of the brothers’ fate, saying he found it hard to believe that they kept guns at home.

“Joel was one of our friends and he was also devoted to the Nazareno. Of course, it’s sad to lose a fellow devotee,” said Hernandez, 26.

He and his friends remained unsure to this day whether Urbano had peddled drugs as described by the police, but they “we still pray for him.”

“We know that even if he had sinned, the Lord can still redeem his soul,” Hernandez added.