MANILA, Philippines — Patrollers on Friday threatened to use “yantok” (rattan stick) as a whip on people who will refuse to follow health protocols in public, such as social distancing, this holiday season.
Joint Task Force COVID-19 Shield chief Lt. Gen. Cesar Hawthorne Binag said in the Laging Handa briefing that the deployment of law enforcers will be doubled in areas of convergence such as public markets, malls, churches, ports, and the like this coming holidays.
“Meron pa kaming tinawag na social distancing patrol, ito ‘yung pinag-utos ng ating chief PNP si General [Debold] Sinas… May hawak na yantok ‘yan, isang metro ‘yan, pang-saway tapos panukat. Pamalo na rin doon sa matitigas ang ulo,” Binag said.
(We also have social distancing patrollers as directed by PNP chief General Sinas… They will hold a one-meter long stick to be used for reprimanding the public and to measure social distancing. It can also be used to whip those who are stubborn in following protocols.)
When Metro Manila shifted to general community quarantine in June, Sinas, then the chief of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), also deployed social distancing patrollers in establishments to ensure health protocols are followed.
Sinas himself had been accused of violating the health protocols when he failed to curb other cops and attendees of his birthday “mañanita” in May when he was still NCRPO chief.