City tourism officer Ching Pangilinan said crucifixion organizers have closed doors on crucifixion applicants and only 12 are slated to be nailed on crosses in this city come Good Friday.
She said eight of the “Kristos” are to be crucified in Barangay San Pedro Cutud, three in Sta. Lucia and one in San Juan. The crucifixions are, as usual, the highlights of reenactments of Jesus’ final hours on earth.
Boy Santiago, this year’s chairman of the city government’s Maleldo (Holy Week) committee, said the city government would not be an active participant in the crucifixion practices here and left to the host barangays the direct supervision over the events.
“The city government’s direct role is limited to peace and order and health,” he said.
Noting several cases of pickpocketing and other crimes during past crucifixions, Santiago appealed to pilgrims and other visitors to refrain from wearing jewelry and from bringing significant amounts of cash and other important items when joining the Good Friday crowd.
He also said that drones are also prohibited in the crowded crucifixion sites, any possible crash could harm people.
Pangilinan said she expected the city to host some 50,000 visitors for the Good Friday crucifixions.
She noted that in San Pedro Cutud, commercial painter Ruben Enaje, 54, would again portray the role of the main Kristo, a role he would assume for the 32nd year. Enaje first had himself crucified as thanksgiving to God whom he credited for saving his life from a fall while he was painting a tall building.
The first crucifixions would be in San Juan at 6 a.m., followed by Sta. Lucia at 9 a.m. and San Pedro Cutud at 10 a.m.
Pangilinan said all those to be crucified this year are men who had been crucified before. “There are no newcomers,” she noted.
