The Armed Forces of the Philippines will commit its Joint Task Force-National Capital Region to help the police secure the “Traslacion” or the feast of the Black Nazarene on Jan. 9.
This was disclosed by AFP public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato when asked Wednesday on what particular task the military would be doing in the annual religious procession.
“JTF-NCR ang take charge for the coordination and deployment of their opcon [operationally controlled] units. The JTF-NCR will be supporting the PNP [Philippine National Police] in this annual religious activity,” he said in a message to the Philippine News Agency.
Detoyato, however, declined to give specific figures but stressed that JTF-NCR would commit enough forces to support the PNP.
“Deployment will also depend on what will be agreed upon during coordinating conferences,” he added.
In a separate message Wednesday, AFP chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal said JTF-NCR was also tasked to support the PNP in securing the “Traslacion.”
“JTF-NCR was tasked to support in coordination with [the] PNP and organizers. We have prior coordination with them. We will provide additional contingency forces in view of the recent bombing in Cotabato [last Dec. 31 which killed two persons and wounded 34 others],” Madrigal added.