BATANGAS, Philippines — The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) deployed police officers at Talisay, Batangas town, which is currently under lockdown to keep villagers from returning to their homes where ashfall brought by the Taal Volcano phreatic eruption still persists.
“Ang guidance sa amin is pigilan (yung mga bumabalik sa bahay nila) kaya may tao kami at saka yung headqaurters ng Police Regional Office 4A sa Talisay kasi may portion na lockdown na nga (The guidance given to us is to stop evacuees from returning to their homes in Talisay so the NCRPO and PRO 4A headquarters are stationed there because a portion of that area is on lockdown),” NCRPO acting chief Brig. Gen. Debold Sinas told reporters at General Malvar Memorial School, Santo Tomas in Batangas.
Sinas said police here were told to turn away all residents wanting to return to their homes because the situation is still critical.
He said those found going back to their houses will be escorted to evacuation centers in Batangas, specifically at General Malvar Memorial School which is home to over 1,800 villagers.
The NCRPO has been designated to patrol Talisay town, well within the 14 kilometer danger zone.
Some 2,000 policemen from the Metro Manila police force were deployed at the Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon) region to assist in distributing relief goods. Of the 2,000, over 150 personnel are at the evacuation center in Santo Tomas in Batangas.
Sinas said every police officer will be stationed for only two days at evacuation centers as the ashfall from the volcanic eruption may pose risk to their health.
“Nag-relieve na kami ng mga tao kasi naawa na ako dahil sa pangamba ng doctors satin. Nagpapalit na kami every two days, palit nang palit (We have already relieved some police officers from their duty in evacuation centers because our doctors warned us about health risks. Police officers will be relieved every two days),” he said.
He also explained that he did not deploy any police officer with asthma and other respiratory diseases due to the harmful effects of the ashfall.