Silver ray in Black Nazarene's crown missing, rector says

MANILA, Philippines - One of the three silver rays of the Black Nazarene's diadem went missing, Msgr. Clemente Ignacio, rector of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quipo, Manila told reporters on Thursday.

Ignacio said the crown and hair were removed from the statue when it was being loaded onto the carriage. But when these were put back, they found out that one of the rays was missing.

Nevertheless, Ignacio is confident that the ray will be returned.

Last year, amid the January 9 Black Nazarene procession in Manila, one of the rays was also reported missing. It was found the following day by one of the devotees.

source: interaksyon.com

Close to 400 people hurt, fall ill during Nazarene procession - Red Cross

MANILA, Philippines - Close to 400 people were either hurt or fell ill during the annual procession of the statue of the Black Nazarene in Manila as of 3 p.m., Thursday, based on data from the Philippine Nationall Red Cross (PNRC).

PNRC recorded a total of 378 cases of mostly minor injuries.

It said 130 people suffered from abrasion, another 102 individuals complained of dizziness, 50 suffered from laceration, 37 more lost conciousness, while 33 others were punctured.



Nine other people complained of headache, seven sustained contusions, seven more had asthma attack, while three others were believed to have suffered from fractured bones.

Two hundred fifty people consulted medical aides for high blood pressure while six others were rushed to hospitals.

source: interaksyon.com

Some 10,000 security personnel to be deployed for Black Nazarene feast

About 10,000 security personnel will be deployed to ensure public safety during the Feast of the Black Nazarene on January 9, an event to be attended by an estimated five million devotees.

The security contingent will consist of 3,000 members from the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), about 1,000 personnel from the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), and 6,000 from "force multipliers" from the local government level, the Philippine National Police (PNP) said.

The agency saw no need to jam cellphone signals at the moment, PNP spokesman Chief Superintendent Generoso Cerbo said.

Last year, authorities blocked cellphone signals as part of its security measures during the feast.

Cerbo also said the agency saw no threats from terror groups during the feast. He also reminded devotees to refrain from bringing their children to the procession and also to refrain from wearing expensive jewelry and accessories.

source: interaksyon.com