PNP says will 'intensify monitoring' even under Alert Level 2
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police on Thursday said it has deployed more cops in Metro Manila, and seven other areas in the country to make sure that minimum public health standards are not disregarded even under more lenient protocols.
Metro Manila and other areas are now implementing the Alert Level 2 protocol until mid-February. All ages are allowed outdoors under the relaxed status, while most local governments have also lifted mobility restrictions on the unvaccinated.
In a statement, Police Gen. Dionardo Carlos, PNP chief, said that the national police expects more people to be outdoors without any policy limiting any age group from doing so.
"We have observed an increase of people going outdoors, including the children who are supposed to be prohibited in public places during those times when those areas were declared under Alert Level 3 or 4," Carlos said.
"The PNP will not take this in stride to avoid complacency among the public which was displayed in past experiences when restriction levels were de-escalated."
READ: Is deploying cops really a 'tried and tested' pandemic response?
The PNP was also careful to remind the public that even if the ‘no vaccination, no ride’ policy has been lifted in Metro Manila, the rule on the limited seating capacity of public utility vehicles is still in effect.
Deputized law enforcers will continue to monitor any violation relating to this policy, Carlos said.
Carlos in his statement cited "observations that some people need to be reminded of the health protocol like the observance of physical distancing and wearing of face masks."
“We don’t want another surge happening so we ask for the public’s vigilance. The parents or guardians are given the liberty to decide whether or not to bring along minors with them when going out,” Carlos said.
"The PNP trusts in the judgment call of the adults so as not to sacrifice the safety of the younger ones especially if there isn’t any important purpose to move them outside."
Police must be good examples
At a meeting earlier this month, the National Capital Region Police Office also admitted that cops were reported violating quarantine rules.
"In some areas, police officers are seen violating the same rules that they implement which made the public [not] follow as well," Police Lt. Col. Jenny Tecson, NCRPO spokesperson said.
"Police offers must be a role model to the public and assure that there is no exemption to the rule regardless [of] if they are the ones implementing it."
She did not mention any moves to hold erring cops accountable and instead went on to highlight the need for more cops in public areas.
READ: Whatever happened to: Quarantine violators in Philippine government
Tecson said that the NCRPO is in talks with local government units and other partner agencies to implement stricter health protocols amid the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
The NCRPO suggested round-the-clock CCTV monitoring in public areas to immediately deploy cops once public health violations are monitored.
"Police visibility must be available most of the time to make sure that the public will adhere to the rule," she said.
"The public has the tendency to forget to follow minimum public health standards once the police are no longer present in the area."
Strict implementation of pandemic protocols has been a significant aspect of the national government's pandemic response. Security officials have arrested people holding feeding programs and relief drives in the name of enforcing quarantine protocols.
In the earlier days of the pandemic-induced community quarantines, well-documented cases of human rights violations piled up as fully-armed cops sought to arrest the spread of the coronavirus.
— Franco Luna
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