Arrest face mask violators but do not hurt them, Eleazar tells cops
NEW Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar on Satuday assured the public of the police’s full respect to human rights as it complies with the order of President Duterte to arrest those who are not wearing face mask amid the continuous threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
“Arrest face mask rule violators but do not hurt or punish them,” the PNP chief said as he presided over his first command conference on Saturday at the PNP National Headquarters in Camp Crame attended by members of his Command Group, the directors of the different PNP Directorial Staff, the 17 Police Regional Office directors and the heads of the different National Operational and Administrative Support Units.
One of the issues he discussed was the order of Department of Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año for the PNP to prepare detention areas in anticipation of the number of arrests that would be made in the coming days.
The 26th PNP chief said the President’s order is a strong message that the national government is serious in implementing the minimum health safety standard protocols as part of the measure to contain the spread of the coronavirus which has so far infected more than one million Filipinos and claimed the lives of more than 18,000 including 58 police officers and men.
Citing his experience as the commander of the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, Eleazar said the infection rate would always go down every time strict quarantine measures are being implemented, like in the case of Metro Manila and nearby areas when PNP Special Action Force commandos and soldiers were deployed last year, and in Cebu City when the same security forces were deployed amid the sudden rise of COVID-19 cases.
He added that the reduction of COVID-19 cases in the past days after the sudden upsurge of cases in March as reported by the Department of Health is another proof that strict quarantine measures are indeed working.
“I understand the concerns of some people regarding the arrest of those not wearing face masks but this is a needed measure to ensure compliance of the people to observe the minimum health safety standard protocol,” the member of Philippine Military Academy ‘Hinirang’ Class of 1987 said.
“I believe that most of the Filipinos are doing what needs to be done to protect themselves and their family pero meron talaga tayong mga kababayan na hindi talaga mapakiusapan at patuloy na nagpapasaway. The President’s order is for these hard-headed people,” he added.
To ensure compliance with policies on human rights, Eleazar ordered all PNP personnel to deal properly with the violators and to exercise maximum tolerance.
“Puwede natin silang arestuhin pero hindi natin sila dapat parusahan at lalong hindi natin sila dapat saktan. Kapag ginawa ninyo ito, mananagot kayo sa akin,” he said.
The PNP chief explained that the penalties for violation of the minimum health safety protocols are already embodied in the local ordinances such as imposition of fine and community service, and these should be used to discipline the violators.
“Para naman sa ating mga kababayan, mahigit isang taon na po tayong nilalabanan ang pandemya. Hindi na dapat kayo sinasabihan kung ano ang dapat gawin para protesksiyunan ninyo ang inyong sarili at pamilya at lalong hindi na dapat tayo nag-a-arestuhan pa. Muli nakikiusap ako na magsuot kayo ng face mask at sundin ang minimum health safety standard protocol dahil kung hindi, kayo naman ang mananagot sa amin,” he added.
