Policemen have been instructed to conduct an election campaign-type of information dissemination to advise the public to stay home amid the serious threats of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) infection.
Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, commander of the Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield, said the community rounds of mobile patrol cops are aimed at warning the public against the negative effects and other implications of not following the government’s order for home quarantine.
“Aside from manning quarantine control points, our policemen are now also making rounds in the community to remind our hardheaded countrymen to stay inside their house,” said Eleazar.
The PNP is among the agencies tapped to implement the home quarantine rules on COVID-19.
The implementation of the guidelines for home quarantine and the exemptions are being supervised by the JTF CV Shield.
Eleazar, however, asked the local government units to help the PNP in the information dissemination in discouraging their constituents to go out.
“If they can do that during election campaign period, this is the right time to do it again, this time, to remind their hard-headed constituents to avoid going out,” said Eleazar.
Eleazar said that PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa has earlier said that he would strictly implement the curfew and home quarantine rules due to the number of people being arrested for violating the rules.
In Cavite, hundreds of people were reported arrested for violating the curfew and home quarantine.
“We will press charges against the violators. In the case of minors, they would be segregated from the adults and were turned over to their parents/guardian. If in cases there were no guardian or parents to fetch them, they will be turned over to local social welfare officer,” said Gamboa.
Gamboa also reminded the parents to look after their children particularly minors which are among those who violate the home quarantine.
“To the parents, please see to it that your children, especially minors to stay at home with you. Go out only if necessary for emergencies or health related reasons but only one person is allowed to go outside,” said Gamboa.
The guidelines say violators of the enhanced community quarantine may be arrested and charged under Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code and Republic Act 11332 (Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act) considering the gravity of the present situation. (Aaron Recuenco)
