Traslacion participants warned vs pickpocketers

CEBU, Philippines – Police in Mandaue City have warned the public against taking valuables with them during the Traslacion this Friday dawn, saying unscrupulous individuals are expected to also take advantage of the occasion.

Superintendent Julian Entoma, officer-in-charge of Mandaue City Police Office, urged the faithful to be watchful of their belongings during the event.

"Naa gyud ni mga salisi o dikit-dikit. My advice to the public is to keep their valuables safe ug tan-awon kung kinsa'y nidikit nila basin di na na ilang kuyog," Entoma said.

Traslacion is the ceremonial meeting of the images of Sr. Sto. Niño, Mama Mary and St. Joseph in Mandaue City.

Entoma said they expect pickpocketing to be one of the common crimes to be reported during this time. He added that many criminals will be more daring on this day, especially since they know that their victims are not natives of Mandaue City.

Should the public notice suspicious-looking people, they should report them to any of the 192 police personnel and hundreds of tanods to be posted along the procession route before any crime incident could take place.

Nonetheless, Mandaue City remains free of high-profile threats so far, said Entoma.

This year, the Traslacion procession will take Jakosalem Street and then on to Gen. Maxilom Avenue, Gorordo Avenue, Archbishop Reyes Avenue to Barangay Banilad in Cebu City.

The procession will then turn to A.S. Fortuna Street in Mandaue City and through A.S. Fortuna Extension, down to A. del Rosario Street, and then to the National Shrine of St. Joseph.

On the part of the Traffic Enforcement Agency in Mandaue, its operations chief Glen Antigua advised the motorists to move out of the parade route at 6 a.m. before they start closing the affected roads.

"Hangyo lang sa mga motorists nga mobiya at 6 a.m.  Hangyo lang, kausa ra bitaw ni's usa ka tuig," he said.

Earlier, Antigua said they were surprised the organizers have changed the Traslacion route, making it difficult for them to find alternative access roads to stranded vehicles.

With almost no diversion roads along the procession route, vehicles are expected to be stranded for the entire time the route is closed to vehicular traffic, he said.

But Antigua said they have no other choice but to follow the directive, especially since it is already deemed "final."

In the previous years, Traslacion would pass through L. Jaena Street to M. C. Briones Street in Mandaue City, instead of A.S. Fortuna. (FREEMAN)