4 DIE, OVER 1,000 HURT IN TRASLACION 2026

FOUR people died while at least 1,700 devotees were injured during the Traslacion or the procession of the Black Nazarene in Manila on Friday.

According to the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), among the fatalities was a photojournalist.

Itoh Son, a photojournalist of the tabloid Saksi, collapsed during the coverage and died.

A Nazareno devotee also died after reportedly being run over by the “andas” or the carriage carrying the Black Nazarene.

Another succumbed to cardiac arrest, while a fourth died of a head injury.

Nazareno 2026 spokesperson Fr. Robert Arellano reported 1,700 injuries, with 29 cases being closely monitored.

“We already have the number of casualties reported to us from the time that the andas arrived at Quiapo Church. We have a total of four casualties po. Ang hiling po namin ay ipagdasal sila,”  Arellano said in a press conference.

This year’s procession of the revered image Jesus Nazareno in Manila was the longest on record and drew the largest number of devotees in its history, a church official said Saturday.

The procession began at 4 a.m. on Jan. 9 and ended at 10:50 a.m. Jan. 10, running for nearly 31 hours.

The image of Jesus Nazareno was brought back to the Minor Basilica and National Shrine of Jesus Nazareno in Quiapo, Manila at 10:50 a.m. on Saturday.

Authorities said an estimated 9.6 million devotees joined this year’s Traslacion.