Sinas to police chiefs: Find bigger detention areas for large arrests of GCQ violators

MANILA, Philippines — National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) chief Major Gen. Debold Sinas on Tuesday ordered chiefs of police to identify bigger detention centers when arresting multiple violators of general community quarantine (GCQ).

“’Yun ‘yung isa sa mga aspect na ginagawa namin kung may kalakihan na grupo na nahuhuli ay naghahanap kami ng mga malaking lugar. With our experience sa Makati ay inadvise-an ko na lahat ‘yung chief of police in case merong malalaking ganung arrest or violation ng quarantine law ay ready na sila dalhin kaagad sa lugar na ‘yun,” Sinas said in a press briefing at Camp Karingal, Quezon City when asked about updates on the arrest of 100 quarantine violators in Makati City.

(This is the aspect that we are looking at when it comes to big groups being arrested, we will look for spacious areas. Because of our experience in Makati, I advised all chiefs of police in case there is a big arrest or violation of quarantine law, they are ready to bring these suspects to those areas.)

Sinas explained that processing for multiple quarantine violators would prevent mass gathering inside the police stations.

“Huwag na nila dalhin sa police station na magkumpulan. ‘Yun ang bagong instruction namin. Nag-locate na sila para in case maghuli sila ng ganun maidala na diretso at hindi magkumpulan sa loob ng istasyon,” he said.

(Don’t bring multiple violators in the police station. This is our new instruction. They should locate spacious areas in case they caught this many violators so that they will not gather inside the police station.)

To recall, 121 people, including television host KC Montero and his wife, were arrested at a restaurant bar in Salcedo Village, Makati City on Sunday afternoon for alleged violation of social distancing.

Sinas said the suspects were already transferred to Guadalupe Nuevo Gym in Makati City to ensure social distancing among the arrested violators.

KGA