PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar. Screenshot from Facebook / PNP livestream
MANILA, Philippines — Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Guillermo Eleazar has assigned police unit commanders in Metro Manila to determine whether there is a need to augment the cops being deployed, especially with COVID-19 quarantine restrictions easing up.
Eleazar issued the directive on Monday to police offices within the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), after it was observed that a number of people went out of their homes during the weekend, and visited public areas.
This came after the COVID-19 alert in the National Capital Region (NCR) was downgraded to Alert Level 3.
“I have tasked all concerned police offices to determine if there is a need to deploy more cops to enforce the minimum health standards,” Eleazar said in a statement.
“Kailangang matiyak pa rin natin ang kaligtasan ng ating mga kababayan dahil baka ito na naman ang pagmulan ng pagtaas ng kaso ng COVID-19 sa NCR,” he added.
(We should still ensure the public’s safety because we do not want this to be the start of another surge in COVID-19 cases inside the NCR.
Eleazar acknowledged that they have received reports of people crowding in different areas over the weekend, notably the dolomite beach and the baywalk area of the Manila Bay, the Marikina River Park, the Quirino Grandstand, and the Mall of Asia grounds.
He then reminded the public to remain disciplined and follow the health protocols to avoid more COVID-19 transmissions so that outdoor activities may continue.
“Kung gusto nating tuloy-tuloy ang pagbaba ng bilang ng natamaan ng COVID-19, kailangang mapairal pa rin ang disiplina at pagsunod sa mga panuntunan sa ilalim ng Alert Level 3,” Eleazar said.
(If we want to continue the trend of decreasing COVID-19 cases, we should maintain discipline and continue the observance of rules under Alert Level 3.)
“Hindi dahil may pagluluwag na nagaganap, magsisilabasan na tayo sa ating mga tahanan at babalewalain na ang health and safety protocols,” he added.
(We should not just go out of our homes and disregard the safety protocols just because quarantine restrictions loosened up.)
On the issue of letting minors leave houses, and the opening of more establishments, Eleazar said they would wait for the decision from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
The IATF’s directives would then be implemented by the PNP.
“Kami sa PNP ay tagapagpatupad lamang ng mga batas at regulasyon. Hihintayin namin kung ano ang magiging resolusyon nila sa bagay na ito at amin itong ipapatupad nang maayos,” Eleazar said.
(We in the PNP only enforce laws and regulations. We will wait for the resolution that they will release on the issue and we will enforce this properly.)