‘Social distancing patrollers’ deployed in metro amid GCQ

MANILA, Philippines — The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Tuesday announced the deployment of “social distancing patrollers” in establishments to make sure that minimum health requirements are followed in the wake of the transition to the less stringent general community quarantine (GCQ).

“Isa sa mga adjustment is yung papalakasin yung social distancing patrol, kasi ngayon naka-focus kami sa designated LRT (Light Rail Transit), MRT (Metro Rail Transit), buses, ‘yung malls, ‘yung public market saka convergence,” said NCRPO chief Major Gen. Debold Sinas in an online press conference when asked about police adjustments during the GCQ.

(One of our adjustments is to ramp up our social distancing patrol because right now we are focused on the MRT, LRT, buses, malls, public markets, and other convergence areas.)

“May mga lugar pa pala na kailangang pasyalan namin, ‘yung maliliit na street malls at maliliit na tindahan, pinapabantayan namin sa social distancing patrollers na umikot sa maski maliit na establishments na masabihan na to observe social distancing,” he added.

(There are also other places that we need to inspect such as small street malls and small establishments that are needed to be guarded by social distancing patrollers so that even small establishments will be reminded to observe social distancing.)

Among the tasks of social distancing patrollers is to check queues at ATM machines.

Sinas said police station commanders will determine the number of social distancing patrollers in each area.

The police patrollers will be equipped with police baton to avoid direct contact with the public.

“Kaya namin in-emphasize na ang mga police mag-police baton para walang hawakan at hindi direct contact lalo na kapag hindi sila naka-gloves (We emphasize that police should use police baton so that there would be no direct contact, especially with those not wearing gloves,” he said.

The NCRPO chief, likewise, announced that foot patrols and mobile patrols returned in strategic areas as they expect petty crimes to surge as the public feel more emboldened to go out in GCQ areas.

“Binalik na namin yung foot patrols, mobile patrols natin. ‘Yung mga dating naka-concentrate kami sa boundaries sa barangays ganun ngayon ibabalik na namin yung mobile and foot patrols sa areas, i-che-check na natin yung sasakyan kasi alam mo kung san maraming tao dun nag-te-take advantage,” Sinas said.

(We’ve restored foot and mobile patrols, who had been tapped to man the boundaries between barangays. Now we have deployed mobile and foot patrols in areas. We also checked vehicles wherein many criminals could take advantage.)

“Ngayon na medyo hirap sa buhay, inaasahan namin snatching, pickpocketing, (at)  other petty crimes mag-increase diyan sa kalsada. Kaya pinababantayan namin yun,” he added.

(Coming right off the quarantine period, we expect snatching, pickpocketing and other petty crimes to increase in the streets. We will be vigilant on that.)

EDV