MANILA, Philippines — Following the decision of the government to extend the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) until May 15 in some areas of the country, the Philippine National Police (PNP) will start conducting a regular rotation of duty for its personnel to allow them quarantine time between duty shifts.
“Nagsasagawa din tayo ng regular rotation of duty ng mga pulis na nakatalaga sa mga ECQ upang mabigyan sila ng pagkakataon na mag quarantine at muling maghanda sa susunod na duty,” Police Brig. Gen Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman, said in a statement on Friday.
(We are now doing a regular rotation of duty for police personnel assigned to enforce the ECQ and give them time to be in quarantine and prepare for their next duty.)
“Sa tulong ng mga LGU (local government unit) at kooperasyon ng taong bayan magigiging mas madali ang aming trabaho na ipatupad ang ECQ,” he added.
(With the help of LGU and cooperation of our countrymen, our jobs will be easier in implementing ECQ.)
In a televised address, President Rodrigo Duterte said the ECQ in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Pangasinan, Benguet, Albay, and Catanduanes will continue until May 15, 2020, to curb the spread of the coronavirus disease. The Luzon-wide ECQ imposed in the middle of March was supposed to end on April 30.
Banac said while the extension will be a big challenge for the national police force, the PNP is ready to implement lockdown protocols in the identified areas.
“Malaking hamon sa PNP ang pagpapalawig ng ECQ sa malaking bahagi ng Luzon at iba pang lugar sa kabila ng iba pang mga tungkulin na kailangan gampanan ng PNP,” he said.
(The extension of the ECQ on a big part of Luzon is a big challenge for the PNP, in addition to the other duties of the PNP.)
“Mayroong sapat na kagamitan, rasyon at suportang medikal ang ating mga pulis na nakatalaga sa ECQ,” the PNP official added.
(Our personnel assigned to enforce the ECQ have adequate equipment, rations, and medical support.)
As of Thursday, April 23, the PNP said 78 police officers have been infected by the coronavirus disease. Banac, however, said this will not hinder their operation during the ECQ.
ECQ implementation partly eased in other areas
Meanwhile, the enforcement of ECQ rules will be eased in other areas as the lockdown is concentrated in high-risk areas in Luzon after April 30.
“While the ECQ will still be in place in these areas until the middle of next month, the strict implementation of home quarantine measures will be partly eased in most provinces and regions of the country after April 30,” Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, PNP deputy director of operations, said in a separate statement.
He also noted that law enforcers will still be vigilant for violators of the ECQ.
“But our troops in those areas are expected to remain vigilant and continue to implement the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) pertaining to this,” he added.