January 12, 2026 | 5:59pm
MANILA, Philippines — Families of devotees who died during the Traslacion of the Black Nazarene on February 9 and 10 have not expressed any intention to sue the Quiapo Church, the Philippine National Police said.
At a press briefing at Camp Crame on Monday, January 12, National Capital Region Police Office spokesperson Hazel Asilo said relatives of the fatalities understood the risks involved in joining the procession.
“Based doon sa pag-iimbestiga nung ating mga tauhan mula homicide, wala pa silang plano or wala pa silang naiisip na reason para kasuhan yung simbahan regarding doon sa nangyari sa kanilang pamilya,” Asilo, a police major, said.
(According to our homicide investigators, the family members have no plans or specific reasons at this time to sue the church over what happened to their relatives.)
“Aware sila doon sa mga posibleng mangyari,” she added. (They are aware of what can happen.)
Deaths on the procession
Four individuals died during the nearly 31-hour Traslacion procession from Quirino Grandstand to Quiapo Church.
One of those who died was tabloid photojournalist Itoh Son.
Another devotee was reported to have been run over by the carriage bearing the Black Nazarene.
Police said a third individual died after suffering cardiac arrest, while a fourth succumbed to a head injury.
The procession drew an estimated 9.64 million devotees. It began on January 9 at 4 a.m. and ended on January 10 at 10:50 a.m. — with reports from The STAR/Mark Villeza
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