2019 Traslacion more orderly

This year’s procession of the image of the Black Nazarene or Traslacion was better and more peaceful compared to previous years’, Manila police said Thursday.

Manila Police District (MPD) chief Supt. Vicente Danao Jr. said no major untoward incident and death were recorded during the procession of the image of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 9.

“Only one pickpocketing was recorded and the suspect was apprehended,” Danao said.

Around 1.4 million devotees joined the Traslacion activites, he added.

The procession lasted for 21 hours, 40 minutes shorter than last year’s 22 hours and 19 minutes.

It began at 5 a.m. on Wednesday at the Quirino Grandstand. The image of the Black Nazarene entered Quiapo church at around 2:21 a.m. on Thursday.

“One of the reasons probably is during the take off of the image, initially the police pull the image, then it was properly turned over to the volunteers,” he said.

He added that the travel time from the starting point of the procession going to the Manila Hotel was cut from four hours to one hour and 30 minutes.

During last Wednesday’s procession, 846 persons were reported injured.

As of 7 a.m. Thursday, the Philippine Red Cross said that 1,613 patients sought treatment for various medical emergencies.

(Jansen Romero) DEVOTEES lift a man who passed out as the image of the Black Nazarene returned to Quiapo church Thursday after more than 21 hours of procession from the Quirino Grandstand in Manila.