QUARANTINE CHECKPOINT A long line forms at one of several checkpoints in Navotas City which is on a 14-day lockdown due to rising coronavirus cases. INQUIRER file photo / NIÑO JESUS ORBETA
MANILA, Philippines — More than 2,700 people, mostly adults, were arrested so far for violations of strict lockdown protocols in Navotas City, its police chief said on Tuesday.
“As of 5 a.m. today, mayroon na-apprehend na total of 2,723 (lockdown violators),” Navotas City Police chief Col. Rolando Balasabas said in a press briefing of the National Capital Region Police Office at Camp Karingal in Quezon City.
(As of 5 a.m. today, we have apprehended 2,723 lockdown violators.)
Balasabas noted that of the total number of violators, 2,581 are adults and 142 are minors.
“To our surprise minors ang mababa, dati kasi nung wala pa lockdown, mga kabataan talaga pakalat-kalat sa kalsada. This time, nung may lockdown tayo, sila pinakakonti na na-apprehend natin,” he said.
(To our surprise, we have low number of violators who are minors. Before the lockdown, young people are always out on the streets. This time, when we imposed the lockdown, they [minors] were the least number of apprehended violators.)
The city police chief said citizens violated curfew ordinance, the mandatory wearing of face masks and smoking in public places, among others.
Navotas City was placed under lockdown from July 16 to July 29 in a bid to suppress the further transmission of the coronavirus disease.