Police ordered to monitor social media for quarantine violators

MANILA, Philippines — Police commanders are directed to check social media posts for individuals found violating health protocols during the quarantine period.

Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, Joint Task Force COVID Shield commander, issued the directive on Saturday after he received reports that some photos of lockdown violators are being shared online.

“The social media are full of photos and evidence of hardheaded people deliberately violating the quarantine protocols. These can be used as pieces of evidence to warn, to fine and to summon the people concerned in coordination with the barangay officials concerned,” Eleazar, who is also the Philippine National Police deputy chief for administration, said in a statement.

Specifically, photos or videos of drinking sessions and motorcycle pillion riding violators are circulated online, Eleazar said.

Eleazar also appealed to other netizens to report coronavirus quarantine violators to law enforcers.

The police official also warned penalties will be imposed against those engaging in drinking sessions especially if their local governments issued ordinances to prohibit drinking liquor in public places.

Figures from JTF COVID Shield, a task force which enforces quarantine protocols, showed more than 365,000 were apprehended for violations of lockdown rules since mid-March.

As of Friday, the Philippines has logged a total of 228,403 total cases of the respiratory disease with 159,475 recoveries and 3,688 deaths.

CFC