The Philippine National Police (PNP) in Bicol has deployed a
battalion of policemen to assist in securing around a million Catholic devotees
expected to flock to Naga
City
Sr. Insp. Maria Luisa Calubaquib, spokesperson of the Police
Regional Office in Bicol (PRO5), said Chief Supt. Melvin Ramon Buenafe, PRO5
director, led the send off ceremony on Wednesday at Camp Gen. Simeon Ola, PRO5
headquarters.
Calubaquib said 500 policemen from various police units
would help the existing police force in Camarines Sur maintain security during
the week-long religious event from Sept. 9 to 18.
She said the deployed policemen would assist the Naga City
Police Office in ensuring a peaceful and orderly celebration of the Peñafrancia
Festival, an annual religious event in the Bicol.
“The deployment of a battalion of policemen would prevent
lawless elements from taking advantage of the festivity by sowing possible
atrocities that would mar the religious event,” Calubaquib said.
She said additional police force would also be fielded to
secure vital installations such as power and communication facilities, and hold
checkpoints and police patrols in areas near various churches, malls and
transport terminals.
The Peñafrancia festival would start with the
"Traslacion" on Friday, wherein the image of “Ina,” as the virgin is
fondly called, would be transferred from the Basilica to the Naga Cathedral
where the Ina would stay for a week.
During the Traslacion procession, thousands of male devotees
with red headbands and on barefoot would carry the "Ina" mounted in a
pagoda.
During "Ina’s" stay, parishioners would hold daily
masses and novenas.
The Bicol religious fest would end and be highlighted by a
fluvial procession on Sept. 17, where the Ina image would be carried in a
pagoda on its return journey to the Basilica Minore, where a pontifical mass
would be held.
http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=920851
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