Cops to deploy police vehicles to assist stranded commuters

MANILA, Philippines — Police vehicles will be deployed to offer free rides to stranded commuters due to limited public transportation options amid the less strict coronavirus lockdown, the National Capital Region Police Office said Tuesday.

Metro Manila police chief Major Gen. Debold Sinas said they will be deploying at least one police car from every station to help commuters.

“Mag-a-assist po kami sa commuters, however, hindi na namin madadagdagan yung sasakayan na tumutulong. Ang sasakyan namin ay at least isang sasakyan ng police ng isang istasyon or minimum of one na pwedeng maghatid sundo para sa stranded (commuters),” said Sinas when asked about police assistance for stranded commuters.

“Sa ngayon, ongoing ‘yung mobile patrols so gagamitin namin sasakyan namin para magbantay ng inisdente sa kalye,” he added.

(We will assist commuters however we cannot add more cars. We will have at least one car of police from every station that would help to ferry stranded commuters. Right now, our mobile patrols are ongoing so we need cars to monitor incidents in streets.)

On the first day of general community quarantine, returning employees were stranded in Metro Manila due to limited mass transport services.

Buses continued operations in Edsa but only four stops were available namely at North Avenue, Quezon Avenue, Ayala Avenue and Taft Avenue. Train operations also continued operations but only at 50 percent capacity.