Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Archie Francisco Gamboa vowed to strictly enforce the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon following the rising number of Covid-19 cases.
“Foremost, there will be no more warning for ECQ violators, instead arrest and inquest procedures will be applied to cases of violation of Republic Act No. 11469, Republic Act No. 11332, and Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code,” Gamboa said in a virtual press briefing Tuesday afternoon.
Gamboa said violations would carry appropriate penalties and fines but what would make it more difficult for violators would be the “tedious judicial process” as well derogatory records in their personal profiles.
There have been 98,986 violators given warnings from March 17 to date, he said.
A total of 6,168 were fined and 31,363 were arrested, out of which where 2,467 were detained.
The PNP filed 24,248 cases. The total number of violators stood at 136,517, Gamboa said.
Also, 732 persons were arrested for hoarding, profiteering, and manipulation of prices of basic goods while 9,419 public utility vehicle drivers apprehended.
Gamboa said he had authorized the deployment of 12 teams from the Special Action Force, with 116 personnel, to augment PNP units in Metro Manila.
“We should learn from the experience of other countries that prematurely relaxed the enforcement of their lockdown which caused a resurgence of infection. So please let us not be complacent and let us do this together correctly the first time and not regret having the surge of cases and deaths like what happened in countries severely hit by Covid-19,” he said.
Gamboa said 74 confirmed Covid-19 cases were found in the police force, while 723 cases were either suspected or probable cases. Twelve PNP personnel have recovered while three died of the illness.
The PNP has also been mandated to do contact tracing of Covid-19 positive persons, as well as probable and suspected cases, in coordination with local government units.
Gamboa said the Team PNP BayanihanFund Challenge project raised P136.7 out of the target of P200 million while the Kapwa Ko, Sagot Ko project raised P46.7 million to help at least 96,459 indigent people. (Melo M. Acuña)