THE country’s top cop told police chiefs to make policemen more visible in public areas.
Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief, Police General Guillermo Eleazar tasked police chiefs to deploy more men in public areas to prevent mass gatherings that can be considered super spreader events.
Eleazar issued the order after Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said he will require the PNP and other law enforcers to strengthen their visibility in public places to ensure that health protocols are observed, and mass gatherings are prevented.
“Batay sa order ng ating SILG, Eduardo Año, inatasan ko na ang lahat ng police commanders sa buong bansa na lalong paigtingin ang pakikipag-tulungan sa mga barangay sa pag-iikot at pagbabantay laban sa mga super-spreader events sa gitna ng banta ng Delta variant ng COVID-19,” Eleazar said.
He said police chiefs should determine how many more men are needed to secure public locations and other establishments in their areas of responsibility, and deploy them immediately.
The PNP chief emphasized that this enforcement of protocols should be done jointly by the police and the local officials, especially barangay workers.
“Binabalaan ko din ang mga organizer ng mga aktibidad na ito na walang pasensyahang magaganap kapag kayo ay nahuling lumalabag dahil sisiguruduhin namin na patong-patong na kaso ang kakaharapin ninyo,” the PNP chief warned.
“Mas gugustuhin ko pa na kamuhian ninyo ako sa paghihigpit sa mga super-spreader event kaysa sabay-sabay tayong maghakot at magsunog ng mga bangkay na gaya ng nangyari sa India nang dahil sa katigasan ng ulo at pagsasawalang-bahala ng kaligtasan ninyo,” he added.
Sec. Año has warned that local chief executives will also be made answerable for the violations of health and safety protocols in their areas. He said quarantine rules should always be strictly implemented after local cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant were recorded in the country.
Eleazar assured that the PNP would closely coordinate with the national government to determine how law enforcers could further strengthen the implementation of quarantine guidelines.