Eleazar PNP chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar

Eleazar warns ‘anti-vaxxers’ vs holding ‘super spreaders’

September 19, 2021 Alfred P. Dalizon 275 views

PHILIPPINE National Police chief, General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar on Sunday warned so-called ‘anti-vaxxers’ from holding protest actions purposely to defy quarantine protocols and further endanger public safety amid the current pandemic since they could become super spreader events.

The top cop said that while the PNP respects the belief of some individuals and groups not to believe in COVID-19 and the government’s vaccination program, they should also learn to respect the belief of most number of Filipino people who abide with the minimum public health safety and other rules to ensure their protection from the deadly virus.

“Nirerespeto namin ang paniniwala ng ilan nating kababayan na hindi maniwala na may COVID at hindi maniwala sa bakuna, pero matuto din sana kayong igalang ang paniniwala ng mas maraming bilang ng mga Pilipino, kabilang na ang mga namatayan at nahawa at lalong lalo na ang ating mga healthcare workers na nasa frontline ng laban na ito,” he said.

“Holding protest actions to insist on what you believe in does not make it right. It is but plain and simple acts of defiance and irresponsibility because you are putting our personnel and other civilian population at risk of being infected,” he added.

He issued the statement after members of the group Gising Maharlika recently held a protest action at the Liwasang Bonifacio in Manila to oppose the vaccination program of the national government.

Many members of the group were not wearing face masks in an apparent bid to emphasize that they do not believe in the coronavirus.

“Ipinakita ng inyong kapulisan ang maximum tolerance at pagrespeto sa inyong paniniwala nang magsagawa kayo ng kilos-protesta na walang suot na proteksyon, binabalaan ko kayo na maaring hindi na kayo pagbigyan kapag inulit pa ninyo ang pambabastos sa paniniwala ng karamihan nating kababayan at pambabastos ninyo sa mga patakaran ng public health,” Gen. Eleazar said.

The PNP chief said he has ordered his men to strictly monitor future protest actions by those anti-vaccine groups and individuals that would violate the minimum public health standard.

Local police chiefs were likewise tasked to check the situation on the ground regarding possible mass actions wherein the protesters would deliberately not wear face masks and violate public health safety protocols, he said.

The inoculation program of the government continues with the continuing arrival of vaccine supplies in the country.

The Philippine government aims to increase its COVID-19 vaccination rate to 90 percent so the country could reach herd immunity early next year.

Gen. Eleazar also offered police camps and other facilities as vaccination sites as the national government starts to plan the inoculation of 12-17 years old population.

This, as the PNP is already nearing the completion of the vaccination of its more than 221,000 personnel.

“Sa gitna ng patuloy na pagtaas ng bilang ng mga kaso ng COVID-19, patuloy kaming nakikiusap na isapuso ang laban natin sa pandemya dahil mahigit isang taon na tayong apektado nito subalit libo-libo pa rin ang nahuhuling violators sa nakalipas na ilang araw,” he said.

“But this will not discourage your PNP to continuously assist in the enforcement of these rules because this is one of the effective measures that we see to contain the spread of the deadly coronavirus,” Gen. Eleazar added.

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