Plainclothes policemen will join the millions of participants to Holy Thursday’s “Alay Lakad” or the penitential walk to Antipolo City to prevent criminals from taking advantage of the situation.
Lt. Col. June Paolo Abrazado, chief of Antipolo Police Station, told Manila Bulletin that criminals such as snatchers and pickpockets are warned not to join the multitude of pilgrims flocking to Antipolo as policemen will be deployed to catch them.
Authorities in the city said close to six million people are expected to visit Antipolo as part of their tradition of walking from Metro Manila to the Antipolo Cathedral, now known as the International Shrine of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage, on Holy Thursday towards Good Friday.
Abrazado said the policemen, along with the local government personnel, village peacekeepers, and force multipliers, will man the various Public Assistance Centers placed in several areas in the city.
The police also issued safety tips for Alay Lakad participants on its social media pages as part of its anti-criminality prevention campaign.
Participants of the penitential walk usually start from Quiapo Church in Manila as soon as the image of the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage leaves the Shrine of the Black Nazarene following a late afternoon Holy Mass.
Others would converge in Ortigas Avenue in Pasig while others would be coming from Marcos Highway in Marikina City as they walk in groups towards the Antipolo Cathedral in time for the 5 a.m. Holy Mass on Good Friday.
There are others who would start walking from their places of residence as part of their annual Lenten tradition.
Command centers and emergency assistance desks were also put up by the Antipolo City government to monitor the situation and respond accordingly.
The Antipolo City government, headed by Mayor Casimiro “Junjun” Ynares III has donated several communication equipment to the Antipolo Police which will be used in its anti-crime program in the city.
Hotline numbers of police stations and the city government were
also displayed on tarpaulins installed by the police and city government
purposely for the Alay Lakad activity.
(Photo from Antipolo Police Station)
Police and local government authorities including volunteer
groups held a series of coordination meetings in line with the Lenten
activities in the city.