Two Black Nazarene devotees die

Two persons died on Saturday morning during the Black Nazarene procession joined by millions of people in Manila.

Gwendolyn Pang, secretary-general of the Philippine Red Cross, said a devotee was resting with a friend after pulling the rope of the Black Nazarene's carriage when he suffered a seizure and collapsed.

Pang said the victim collapsed at around 11:30 a.m. She said that according to a companion, the victim had a liver ailment.

"After performing a CPR at lahat ng revival measures, 'di na na-revive," she said, adding that the patient had no pulse and was unconscious when brought to their field office.

The victim was identified as Alex Fulyedo, 27, a resident of Sampaloc district in Manila.

Pang said the victim's body was brought to the Ospital ng Maynila.

A radio dzBB report said Fulyedo was the second fatality because at 2:21 a.m. or more than three hours before the procession started,  another devotee named  Mauro Arabit, 58, died of acute coronary syndrome or  a condition where the blood supply to the heart muscle is being blocked.

Quiapo Church: Black Nazarene Feast first fatality . | @CecilVillarosa pic.twitter.com/ROOEqHcwNa

— DZBB Super Radyo (@dzbb) January 9, 2016

The Philippine Red Cross said that as of 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, its volunteers served 1,511 patients with 777 due to high blood pressure, 591 with minor injuries, 53 major injuries.

From the Quirino Grandstand, the black image of Jesus Christ will be brought to The Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo district.

Chief Superintendent Joel Pagdilao, chief of the National Capital Region Police Office, told radio dzBB in an interview that more than a million people stayed at the Quirino Grandstand and another million have joined the annual traslacion.

Pagdilao added that at least 100,000 people have gathered around the Quiapo church.

Johnny Yu of the Manila City Risk Reduction and Management Council said they are expecting 13 million to 15 million people to join the traslacion.

Local authorities are expecting the procession to last until midnight. —with a report from Marisse Panaligan/ALG/LBG, GMA News