Manila: Two more individuals have died during the Traslacion, a grand procession of Jesus Nazareno, raising the total number of fatalities to four, according to a Quiapo Church official. In a press conference held at the Pope Francis XVI Building, Nazareno 2026 spokesperson Fr. Robert Arellano called upon the faithful to pray for the eternal repose of the deceased.

According to Philippines News Agency, the incident has been described as deeply saddening by Fr. Arellano, emphasizing the gravity of such occurrences. He noted that this year's Traslacion was the longest ever, lasting 30 hours, 50 minutes, and 1 second, and attracted an unprecedented number of participants, reaching 9.6 million over a span of 10 days.

Fr. Arellano explained that the event's duration includes the novena masses, which commenced on December 31. He also highlighted the discrepancy in the number of participants reported, with the city government estimating 7.5 million attendees, while church data indicates 5.5 million.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police have identified three of the four casualties. Rod-Angelo Javier, 30, and Jeffrey Anos, 41, both residents of Manila, were among those who lost their lives. Additionally, photojournalist Armelito Son passed away due to a heart attack prior to his coverage of the event, making his death indirectly related to the Traslacion. The identity of the fourth fatality, a male individual, remains unknown.