PNP chief Guillermo Eleazar yesterday said 108,777 persons have been caught violating the enhanced community quarantine protocols in Metro Manila since August 6, including 12,271 who were apprehended last Tuesday.
Eleazar said 72,767 were caught for violating minimum public health standards, like wearing of face mask, face shield and observance of physical distancing. The number increased by 8,586 from last Monday’s figure of 64,181.
There were 29,794 curfew violators, up by 2,988 from 26,806 as of Monday.
President Duterte placed Metro Manila under ECQ from August 6 to 20 in a bid to control the spike in COVID-19 cases, with an 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew put in place.
“For the past 12 days, we accosted an average of 9,000 violators every day,” Eleazar said in an online forum.
There were 6,216 non-APORs (authorized persons outside residence) caught. The number increased by 697 from the previous day’s figure of 5,519.
Nationwide, the number of violators caught from August 6 to August 17 stood at 516,76 as of Tuesday — 412,820 for violation of minimum health standards, 75,166 for violating curfew, and 28,781 non-APORs. The number was up by 57,181 compared to Monday’s figures.
Eleazar said 79 percent of the total cases were warned, 13 percent were fined, while the eight percent were brought to police stations for filing of charges
“It doesn’t mean these are the only violators. This is the number of individuals accosted and we all know that our policemen cannot guard all places every day,” said Eleazar.
Eleazar also ordered a through probe on a recent beach party in Camotes Island, Cebu, last July 10 reportedly attended by politicians for violation of minimum health standards and quarantine protocols.
Eleazar ordered the probe on the instructions of Interior Secretary Eduardo Año, a key member of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging and Infectious Diseases.
Eleazar said he tasked Central Visayas police director Brig. Gen. Ronnie Montejo to spearhead the investigation and “take actions based on existing laws and quarantine rules” against anyone involved in the mass gathering.
Eleazar said the incident reached the attention of the PNP through a video that went viral online. The video showed guests disregarding minimum public health standards, including wearing of face mask and physical distancing.
Cebu is currently under general community quarantine with heightened restrictions. As of Tuesday, the Department of Health said Cebu has recorded 27,613 COVID-19 cases — 23,553 recovered, 2,985 active cases and 1,075 dead
A consultant of the National Task Force (NTF) against coronavirus disease (COVID-19) favors the de-escalation of ECQ in Metro Manila and the shift to stricter granular lockdown in areas were COVID-19 cases are still high.
NTF spokesman Restituto Padilla, in a radio interview, said the IATF is set to submit on Thursday to President Duterte its recommendations on the quarantine status in Metro Manila and other areas in the country where there are high number of active COVID-19 cases.
The National Capital Region, along with Laguna and Bataan, are under ECQ until August 20. — With Jocelyn Montemayor
