Cavite cops ‘reprimand’ 236 COVID-19 protocol violators

LUCENA CITY –– The Cavite police accosted 236 quarantine violators in the past two days as local governments in the province struggle to contain the rise of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in their localities.

Colonel Marlon Santos, Cavite police chief, reported Friday, April 9, that they apprehended 130 violators in the past 24 hours.

The police also reported that authorities reprimanded 106 COVID-19 protocol violators in the province on April 8.

The violators were either not wearing face masks or ignoring the curfew hours in their localities.

The quarantine violators were not physically punished but “did community services, while others were reprimanded and later released to their relatives,” the report said.

On Wednesday, the police chief of General Trias City and two other policemen were sacked from their posts after the death of a quarantine violator forced by police to perform strenuous exercise routines as punishment for violating curfew.

The Cavite police have intensified their implementation of the COVID-19 safety protocols.

The province is under enhanced community quarantine, along with Metro Manila and Rizal, Bulacan, and Laguna provinces, collectively called the “NCR Plus bubble.”

At least 38 checkpoints had been placed in strategic locations and borders of each city and municipality in the province.

The checkpoints monitor travel between Cavite and Batangas, which is not part of the NCR Plus bubble.

Santos also reported that anti-illegal drug operatives arrested 27 drug suspects during the two days.

The police confiscated 77 sachets of shabu (crystal meth), 22 sachets of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and cash believed to be from illegal drug sales.

The report did not specify the volume and street value of the confiscated drugs.

The police also arrested five wanted felons and three suspects for minor and major offenses.

LZB