QUARANTINE control points will be retained even in areas that will be downgraded to general community quarantine (GCQ) and are considered low risk, the PNP said on Tuesday after President Duterte agreed to relax protocols in enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) areas.
Police director for operations Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Luis Licup said checkpoints are needed even in downgraded areas to ensure compliance with minimum health standards such as social distancing and wearing of face masks.
In a virtual press briefing, Licup said the checkpoints will remain as the PNP’s tool in implementing regulations in low risk areas and those under that are ECQ and GCQ.
“Tuloy-tuloy po ang checkpoint, GCQ man o low risk or moderate, meron tayong pinapatupad na minimum health requirements (Our checkpoints will continue in GCQ, low risk or moderate risk areas because we have to enforce minimum health requirements),” he said.
More people will be allowed to go out of their houses and more business can resume partial operations under a GCQ setting.
Licup said policemen will be deployed at the vicinity of malls and commercial establishments that will be allowed to operate “to ensure their compliance” to quarantine protocols. “We are going to conduct inspections to ensure their compliance to the requirement of the DOH,” he added.
PNP chief Gen. Archie Gamboa said the PNP will be more alert in areas that will be downgraded to GCQ and in the areas classified as low risk areas.
“With the advent of the GCQ, we will be more alert because the opportunity will again expand, because the (quarantine) protocols will be relaxed and there will be opportunity for criminals to commit crimes,” said Gamboa.
MALL SECURITY
The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) held a dialogue with mall security officers in Metro Manila on Tuesday in preparation for the reopening of shopping malls once the ECQ is lifted.
NCRPO chief P/MGen Debold Sinas said the meeting was attended by security officers from the metropolis’ big shopping malls, such as the Ayala Malls, SM Malls, Shangrila, Landmark and Rockwell.
Approved during the meeting was the following: to ensure social distancing, 1 person per 2 sqm floor area; limited number of shoppers, with mall security computing the maximum number of persons to be allowed entry based on the social distancing protocol; limited and controlled mall entrances and exits; and heightened police presence inside and outside of the malls, including the establishment of PNP help desks.
Sinas said it was also agreed that all alleys, hallways, path walks and other medium of convergence shall observe the ‘Keep Right’ and one-way scheme, and that waiting in stores, boutiques, and shops will be prohibited. However, under exceptional circumstances, store owners may opt to provide seats for waiting customers.
“We had this dialogue primarily to encourage concerted movement of all law enforcement agencies and units especially those in charge of areas frequented by our people; like the malls,” Sinas said. — With Noel Talacay
