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BY RUBY P. SILUBRICO
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ILOILO City – The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) prays for a crime-free holiday season.
The first two days of the traditional misa de gallo (dawn mass) leading to Christmas day were peaceful throughout Western Visayas since it commenced on Dec. 16, according to Chief Superintendent Cesar Hawthorne Binag, regional police director.
Also called simbang gabi, this Philippine Catholic Church rite is for nine days.
Except for yesterday’s hit-and-run case in Jaro district, “So far no crimes recorded,” said Binag.
“We hope we can maintain this until even up to the end of the year,” he added.
Police units across the region have been instructed to deploy security officers in churches and public plazas, and set up help desks in these areas.
Binag urged churchgoers to cooperate with the police.
“Malaki naitutulong ng community sa ating peace and order,” he said.
In Iloilo City, no minors have so far been apprehended for loitering outside churches, and there were no reports of theft.
“But again we remind churchgoers to be aware of the persons around them,” said Senior Superintendent Henry Biñas, city police director.
The PRO-6 gave some practical security tips such as the following:
* Do not wear jewelry.
* Refrain from bringing large sums of money.
* Do not leave bags unattended.
“Some thieves also attend the simbang gabi. They look for potential victims,” said Superintendent Gilbert Gorero, PRO-6 spokesperson.
Misa de gallo originated in the early days of Spanish rule over the Philippines as a practical compromise for farmers, who began work before sunrise to avoid the noonday heat out in the fields.
Priests began to say mass in the early mornings (misa means mass and gallo means roster) instead of the evening novenas more common in the rest of the Hispanic world, but the simbang gabi name stuck.
In some parts of the Philippines such as Western Visayas, this dawn mass is also called misa de aguinaldo (gift mass)./PN
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