Over 1,400 cops to secure Walk with Mary, Traslacion 2025
Hundreds of devotees join the Walk with Mary foot procession on January 19, 2024. CDN Digital photo | CDN Digital file photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines – More than 1,400 policemen will be deployed to secure the Walk with Mary foot procession and the Traslacion early Friday morning, January 17.
Both of these religious events, held in line with the 640th Fiesta Señor celebration, are attended by thousands of devotees each year.
This year, the much-anticipated Walk with Mary procession will be held a few hours after a free concert at the Cebu City Sports Center. The foot procession will be followed by the Traslacion or the transfer of the religious image of the Holy Child to the National Shrine of St. Joseph in Mandaue City.
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As early as 3 a.m. on Friday, thousands of pilgrims are expected to gather at the starting point of the Walk with Mary, which is the Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
To ensure the safety of all attendees, the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) will deploy more than 1,400 police officers on the streets.
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Security personnel
Police Lieutenant Colonel Maria Theresa Macatangay, deputy director for Operations of CCPO, said that security personnel will focus on ensuring public safety to prevent any disturbances or untoward incidents from happening throughout the two events.
Aside from PNP personnel, members of the Philippine Army will also provide augmentation, as well as Cebu City college and university students, who are tasked to help with crowd control.
“We will be fielding more than 1,400 PNP personnel for the entire event and…we will also be complemented by the Philippine Army through the Joint Task Group Cebu and more or less 22,000 students coming from various schools here in Cebu City,” Macatangay said.
In a phone interview with reporters, Macatangay also gave last minute reminders to the devotees, who will be taking part in these religious activities, to cooperate with law enforcers and to behave appropriately.
“We encourage everyone who will join to be sober. Bawal magdala og kaning mga hinagiban nga makadaot sa kahapsay ug kalinaw sa pagpahigayon sa kani nga procession. Basic lang ang atoa nga gipangayo sa ilaha nga dili ta maka-cause og kagubot ug disruption sa kalinaw ani nga mao nga religious procession nga ipahigayon,” she added.
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