Saturday, September 11, 2010

Army in Bicol Participates in Penafrancia Festival’s ‘Traslacion’


CAMP ELIAS ANGELES, Pili, Camarines Sur – Army soldiers were dispatched to participate in the traditional ‘Traslacion’ (procession) in Naga City yesterday, a military official said.

Captain Rev Father Paul De Guzman, the Command Chaplain of the 9th Infantry Division said that three hundred soldiers were sent to join the procession of the holy image of the Our Lady of Penafrancia which started at around 3:00pm.

“Our soldiers were tasked to provide a security cordon around the religious relic as part of the ‘Voyadores’ as it was paraded in the streets around Naga City,” said De Guzman.

Attended by hundreds of thousands of devotees from around the country, the ‘Traslacion’ (procession) is one of the much awaited highlight of the Penafrancia celebration. The soldiers were tasked to ensure that no one among the devotees will hamper the movement of the cart which carried the image of “Ina” (Mother Mary).

Facing some unruly crowd of drunk male devotees, the soldiers used their skills and discipline to control the people who attempted to penetrate the security cordon.

Aside from the ‘voyadores’ soldiers were also detailed as part of the security force that maintain the orderliness and peacefulness of the activity.

Colonel Edmund Avila, head of the AFP Task Group which works under the established joint operations center said that all systems are in place to ensure the peaceful Penafrancia celebrations since September 1, 2010.

“We have dispatched Army troops to augment the PNP personnel in securing vital facilities and installations around Naga City where the festivities are being held. I am very happy that there were no untoward incident during the Traslacion,” said Avila.

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