THE Philippine National Police (PNP) directed police units in Metro Manila and other parts of the country to ensure that minimum health standards are followed during voter registration in malls this month.
PNP chief, Police General Guillermo Eleazar, told chiefs of police and other police commanders that they must ensure that the voter registration process in these areas should not become super spreader events, amid the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“All our police personnel have been tasked to secure these malls and to ensure that minimum public health safety standards and quarantine protocols are observed for the voter registration,” PGen. Eleazar said.
“People may troop to satellite voters registration in malls in great numbers, especially during the last parts of the month so we need to prepare because we are still in the middle of a pandemic wherein utmost caution is needed,” he added.
The Commission on Elections had worked with Robinsons Malls, Ayala Malls, and SM Supermalls to accommodate more voter applicants for the 2022 national and local elections nationwide.
This as the deadline for voter registration is only until September 30.
PGen Eleazar tasked chiefs of police to coordinate with the management of malls in their respective Areas of Responsibility, especially with their security staff, for the enforcement of health and safety standards.
The PNP chief also ordered his men to always observe maximum tolerance, and treat those inside the malls, including violators, with utmost respect.
He also urged the public to cooperate and just follow the rules being implemented for everyone’s safety.