Over 5K cops enforce ECQ in NCR
OVER 5,000 policemen have been mobilized to fully enforce the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Metro Manila on Friday until August 20 with instructions for them to fully observe human rights while ensuring that unauthorized persons will be barred from leaving their homes during the period to prevent the further spread of the coronavirus, Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T. Eleazar said.
The top cop said 1,203 policemen were mobilized for law enforcement and public safety operations in 89 Quarantine Control Points established across Metro Manila to assist the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) in the strict implementation of the ECQ.
In addition, 4,346 other PNP personnel from the National Capital Region Police Office headed by Major Gen. Vicente D. Danao Jr. will man Mobile Control Points in various locations in the metropolis for implementation of uniform curfew hours.
Eleazar has sought the cooperation and indulgence of NCR Plus residents and transients to some inconveniences encountered in Quarantine Control Points deployed along regional, provincial and city borders to control unnecessary movement of unauthorized individuals.
“Nauunawaan namin ang sinasabing quarantine burnout na nararamdaman ng ating mga kababayan subalit maling-mali ang pananaw na walang epekto ang mga paghihigpit na ito dahil ang mga public experts na mismo ang nag-rekomenda nito at kami mismo sa PNP ay napatunayan naming kung gaano ka-epektibo ito upang maiwasan ang pagkalat ng virus,” he said.
Police are under strict instructions to ensure that public health protocols are observed and mass gatherings are disallowed, Eleazar stressed.
Citing a report from PNP Deputy Chief for Operations and concurrent Joint Task Force COVID-19 commander Lieutenant Gen. Israel Ephraim T. Dicson, the PNP chief said 7,337 police officers have also been deployed in 2,745 vaccination centers while 4,877 are manning 2,535 quarantine areas.
In other areas outside the NCR Plus bubble, the PNP deployed 9,180 police personnel in 1,103 Quarantine Control Points.
“Despite the uphill battle against COVID-19 and surmounting challenges we are facing, the PNP remains resilient in assisting the government to quell the community transmission of the Delta variant. At bilang dating commander ng Joint Task Force COVID shield, hindi na bago sa inyong Pambansang Pulisya ang anumang uri ng quarantine restrictions kaya makakaasa ang lahat ng aming kahandaan sa anumang plano at ipag-uutos ng ating IATF at mga lokal na pamahalaan, the PNP chief said.
“Ngunit tayong lahat ay dapat kumilos para mapigilan ang pagkalat ng mas nakahahawang Delta variant. Bukod sa bakuna at pagsunod sa minimum public health safety standards, disiplina po ang kailangan ng bawat isa sa atin,” he added.
Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo M. Año earlier said implementation of strict border controls in the NCR Plus areas is critical in stopping the spread of the Delta variant even as he warned that violators may be charged for non-cooperation under provisions of Republic Act 11332, or the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act.
