Secure Quiapo Church!

QUIAPO Church hosts thousands of Black Nazarene devotees each day. LOR BULACAN

The chief of the Manila Police District (MPD) has ordered his men to fully secure Quiapo Church, home of the iconic Black Nazarene image, following the deadly Jolo Cathedral bombing.

MPD head Chief Supt. Vicente Danao Jr. said his men are conducting target-hardening measures to preempt any plan to conduct a similar attack on Quiapo Church.

Thousands, including the multitude of Black Nazarene devotees, frequent the Manila church daily. The Black Nazarene image is believed to be miraculous, drawing millions during its annual Traslacion procession.

The MPD has deployed at least 50 more policemen in and around the minor basilica, on top of its regular complement of 30 cops under the Plaza Miranda Police Station 3.

Danao appealed to churchgoers for understanding as policemen will be stricter and more active in conducting searches and inspections around the church.

He said the “stop, freeze and search” policy will be implemented by MPD, including on the many who frequent malls, bazaars and eateries in the area.

The police official said the heightened police alert is for everyone’s “peace of mind” and is not in any way an “overkill.”

All bags and packages of churchgoers will be checked, Danao said, adding the measures had been coordinated with Quiapo Church officials.

The Jolo Cathedral bombing killed 21 and wounded scores of others.

Nonetheless, Danao said they have not received reports of threats from the intelligence community. “We better be alert. It’s hard to let criminals slip past us,” he said in Filipino.

Meanwhile, National Capital Region Police Office chief Director Guillermo Eleazar visited the Golden Mosque in Quiapo and held a dialogue with Islamic leaders.

Eleazar urged the imams to cooperate with the security measures being implemented by the police as well as to alert their members on suspicious persons and packages in the mosque’s surroundings.

He also met with barangay officials in the Quiapo area to ensure that all their CCTV are working and in good condition.