Military gears up for Black Nazarene procession

With the holidays over, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will now turn its preparations for a huge event this month – the Black Nazarene procession on Jan. 9.

AFP chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo Año said no threats have been detected that may derail the annual procession that attracts millions of devotees.

EARLY START Devotees join a thanksgiving procession on Saturday ahead of the Black Nazarene feast on January 19 which is expected to draw millions. PHOTO BY RUSSELL PALMA

"So far, we are still to detect any threat for the Black Nazarene procession but we are urging all devotees to report anything suspicious to authorities,” he said.

The AFP chief added a vigilant public will help prevent untoward incidents.

Last year, about 5,000 policemen and 900 military personnel were deployed to ensure the safety and security of the Nazarene devotees who joined the procession.

PNA