MANILA, Philippines — Drivers of trucks carrying food items and other needed items during the Luzon-wide quarantine were given assurance of assistance in passing through quarantine checkpoints set by various local government units.
Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Philippine National Police (PNP) deputy for operations, on Tuesday gave this assurance adding that police personnel will give them assistance in passing through checkpoints set by local government units.
Eleazar gave the assurance after receiving reports that some delivery trucks carrying vegetables are being blocked and held at some barangay (village) checkpoints.
“Sa ating mga biyahero, huwag kayong matakot sa announcements ng LGU. Lumabas po kayo at makita niyo po na you will be allowed and assisted by the PNP at naglilinaw kami, tuloy tuloy kami naglilinaw sa mga LGU,” he told dzMM when asked about police efforts on reports that drivers of delivery vehicles carrying vegetables are being blocked in some checkpoints in barangays.
(To transporters of basic goods and services, do not be afraid of announcements from LGUs. Continue with your deliveries and you will see that you will be allowed and assisted by the PNP. We will continue to clarify these issues with the LGUs)
Eleazar, who is also the head of Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield, stressed that truck drivers will expect that their body temperatures will be checked at quarantine checkpoints while police officers on duty will ask that they present their delivery invoices and receipts.
For any untoward incidents in passing through quarantine checkpoints, Eleazar said truck drivers can call the PNP Command Center at 09988490013 and 09175382495 for assistance.
The PNP previously ordered that chiefs of police supervise all checkpoints including those being manned by barangay officials to ensure that only policies from the Inter-Agency Task Force are being enforced.