PNP ready for ‘selective quarantine’ after April 30

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police chief, Gen. Archie Gamboa, assured the public on Tuesday that the 205,000-strong police force was prepared for the possible imposition of “selective quarantine” after April 30.

Gamboa made the statement even as he urged all PNP personnel to donate cash in a project aimed at raising P200 million to help tide over the country’s poorest of the poor through the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis.

In a video statement through the PNP’s Facebook page, Gamboa lauded all PNP units and joint task force COVID shield personnel strictly enforcing the enhanced community quarantine guidelines.

“From here, the way forward, in my analysis, is for us to expect a longer operation period in our law enforcement and public safety functions beyond April 30 for a possible selective quarantine in some areas,” he said.

Sufficient personnel

He assured the public that there would be sufficient personnel that would be deployed for front-line duty after April 30.

He also urged PNP personnel to take part in the “Bayanihan Fund Challenge” which “aims to raise over P200 million from individual voluntary contributions of PNP personnel.”

The project, he said, had so far amassed P34 million in cash and pledges from police star-rank officials and their staff.

Another extensionSenate President Vicente Sotto III, for his part, said he would support another extension of the quarantine period if there would still be no clear solution to the spread of COVID-19.

“I would rather play the conservative card and side with a continuing lockdown if no clear evidence of a solution to the virus is in sight,” Sotto said.

President Duterte said he would only lift the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine if he sees that an antibody treatment for COVID-19 becomes available.

Sen. Imee Marcos said she suspects that only a partial easing of the Luzon-wide quarantine would be allowed at the end of the month.

Marcos noted that doctors had aired warnings about a second wave of infection that had hit other countries.

“Hence, we should expect only critical businesses will be allowed to fully open—medical production, importation and distribution, food chain sectors, essential transport, communication, general services and maintenance. Other industries may only be partially commenced with only a skeleton work force,” Marcos said.