The Philippine National Police reported on Christmas Eve, December 24, that the traditional nine-day Simbang Gabi ended on a “generally peaceful” note.
Catholic faithful across the Philippines went to churches for the observance of evening and dawn masses from December 16 to 24 as part of the longstanding Christmas tradition called ‘Simbang Gabi’ or ‘Misa de Aguinaldo.’
“As of this morning (Tuesday), we have deployed close to 40,000. And at the end of the Simbang Gabi earlier, overall, it was generally peaceful,” PNP spokesperson and Public Information Office chief Brigadier General Jean Fajardo told GMA 7 through its ‘Unang Hirit’ morning show.
The PNP gave this assessment despite logging a riot involving around 40 minors recently following a ‘Simbang Gabi’ mass at Saint Gabriel the Archangel Parish in Caloocan City.
The brawl was reported last December 22 along the road of Jose P. Bautista Avenue, near the
boundary of Barangays 79 and 80, where groups of young men engaged in a verbal altercation and threw Molotov bombs and rocks at each other.
With the end of Simbang Gabi, Fajardo said the PNP will now shift its focus on securing transportation hubs and markets.
“Our focus now is on our major transportation hubs, malls, and other establishments, night markets because we expect that those who are still chasing Christmas Eve will be shopping and going around,” she said.
