Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 5) — Authorities on Friday arrested a man for allegedly making a bomb joke inside the Quiapo Church, where thousands of devotees gathered ahead of the annual Traslacion on Jan. 9.
The Manila Police District said the 42-year-old man is a guard and personnel of Quiapo Church.
Authorities said he will face charges for violating Presidential Decree 1727 or declaring as unlawful the malicious dissemination of false information of any threat concerning bombs, explosives or any similar device or means of destruction.
Meanwhile, additional security measures have been put in place to ensure peace and order, including the implementation of a one-entrance, multiple-exit scheme within the vicinity of the church and the use of x-ray machines at the entrance.
RELATED: PNP bares prohibited items during Traslacion
That means devotees may only enter Plaza Miranda and Quiapo Church through Villalobos Street while exit points are located only inside the church towards Quezon Boulevard and Carriedo Street.
In a public briefing, Philippine National Police (PNP) Spokesperson Col. Jean Fajardo said around two million devotees are expected to join this year’s Traslacion, which was postponed since 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
With the expected high volume of devotees joining the traditional grand procession, Fajardo said PNP will have additional personnel deployed around the area.
