CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) assured full security deployment during the Traslacion of the image of Señor Santo Niño on Friday, January 17, until its send-off to Lapu-Lapu City by midnight of Saturday, January 18.
Police Major Mercy Villaro, spokesperson of MCPO, said at least 254 police personnel will be deployed to secure the Traslacion route from Banilad Road, the boundary of the cities of Cebu and Mandaue.
From the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño (BMSN), the caravan of the Traslacion will go to Osmeña Boulevard and to D. Jakosalem Street, right to General Maxilom Avenue then to Gorordo Avenue.
The caravan will turn right to Archbishop Reyes Avenue and head to Banilad Road.
As the image of the Señor Santo Niño arrives at the boundary of the two cities, Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella will be turning over the image to Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes.
The Traslacion will continue on to A.S. Fortuna Avenue, left to A. Del Rosario Street and then to S.B. Cabahug Street.
The procession will then head straight to the National Shrine of Saint Joseph in Barangay Centro.
This Traslacion route from the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño to the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City. | Source: Basilica Minore del Santo Niño de Cebu
The roads along the route of the traslacion will be completely closed as the procession passes through it.
Based on their coordination with the Traffic Enforcement Agency of Mandaue (Team), Villaro said the route of the traslacion has been divided into sectors.
A road sector will only be opened, once the motorcade of the image has completely entered the next sector.
This is to ensure the security of the traslacion.
Villaro said the local police has not received information of any imminent threat during the traslacion.
She added that in the previous years, the situation has always been manageable with no rowdy behavior from Santo Niño devotees.
“This 1 p.m. will be our communication exercise where we will orient them on the procedures in reporting to the different sector commanders,” Villaro told CDN Digital on Wednesday morning, January 15.
Villaro added that the same forces will be deployed as the city sends off the image of the Santo Niño by midnight of Saturday, Jan. 18.
The image will be received by Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Junard Chan as it reaches the Lapu-Lapu City side of the old Mandaue-Mactan Bridge.
It will be taken to a motorcade to the National Shrine of Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Regla and then to the Captain Veloso Pier in the Naval Forces Central Visayas (Navforcen) in Barangay Looc for the fluvial procession which will kick off at 6 a.m. of January 18.
On Thursday, January 16, MCPO will also send off 115 personnel who will serve as augmentation forces for the security of the Sinulog activities in Cebu City. / celr