Quezon City nets 3,200 health protocol violators amid ‘maximum tolerance’

FILE PHOTO: Hundreds of individuals who were rounded up for not wearing masks and face shields in public in Quezon City are lining up to pay a fine of P300 each at the Quezon Memorial Circle on Friday, March 12, 2021. They were caught in a “one-time-big-time” sweep through various barangays in a bid to control the rapid spread of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes severe respiratory illness COVID-19. INQUIRER/RICHARD A. REYES

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the enforcement of “maximum tolerance,” a joint operation of police and city hall personnel has rounded up about 3,200 violators of health protocols in Quezon City.

Mayor Joy Belmonte said the violators came from the different barangays of the city and were brought to the Quezon Memorial Circle for proper documentation and some lecturing about safety protocols. She likewise said the violators were also given ordinance violation receipts (OVRs).

“Ikinasa itong ‘One Time, Big Time’ operation sapagkat marami pa rin ang hindi sumusunod sa health protocols,” Belmonte said in a statement on Wednesday. “Gayunman, ipatutupad pa rin natin ang maximum tolerance at ang mga mahuhuling lumabag ay bibigyan ng ticket.”

(This ‘One Time, Big Time’ operation was launched because many people still don’t follow health protocols. Nevertheless, we are still enforcing maximum tolerance and violators will be given a ticket.)

READ: QC to enforce ‘maximum tolerance’ on improper mask-wearers

OVRs, which have corresponding penalties of P300, P500, and P1,000 for the first, second, and third offense, respectively, have to be settled “within a reasonable period,” according to the local government.

“If they fail to pay within the prescribed period, the City Prosecutors Office will file a case that will flag them once they apply for a police clearance for whatever purpose,” it said.

The operation was carried out by the Quezon City Police District, Department of Public Order and Safety (DPOS), Task Force on Transport and Traffic Management, Task Force Disiplina, and Market Development and Administration Department in the city’s 142 barangays.

DPOS head, retired Gen. Elmo San Diego, said the city has launched a similar operation in March when 1,700 violators were rounded up.

“Hindi tayo titigil hangga’t marami pa ring pasaway na hindi sumusunod sa ating local ordinances on health protocols,” San Diego said. (We will not stop until there are people who are not complying with local ordinances and health protocols.)

Belmonte said the local government recently distributed 1.2 million face masks and 300,000 face shields to indigent residents of the city.

— John Eric Mendoza

KGA