BAGUIO CITY – More than 300 violators of the 24-hour curfew during this Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine were arrested by combined police operatives of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) managing the different police checkpoints and conducting regular foot and mobile patrols in the different parts of the city.
BCPO City Director Police Col. Allen Rae F. Co said that of the number of curfew violators, there were 295 who were counselled, advised and warned not to repeat such violation to avoid the imposition of stiffer penalties or fines against them for similar offenses in the future.
He added there were 3 curfew violators who were subjected to inquest proceedings with the city prosecutor’s office but none needing filing a case in the courts.
Further, there were 3 cases filed against the arrested curfew violators and another 3 cases filed against the said individuals who were accused of alleged disobedience of a person in authority.
The BCPO chief pointed out that based on the guidelines of the inter-agency task force on the management of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, the 24-hour curfew in Luzon is in effect, thus, people who have nothing important to do outside their houses should stay at home and only those assigned person per household who had been issued home quarantine passes by their barangays can go out of their residence.
The police official called on the public to understand and cooperate with the law enforcers managing the different checkpoints around the city and those conducting the foot and mobile patrols because they will compel people who do not possess the pertinent documents their presence outside to go home for safety reasons.
According to him, the city police force tries to understand justifications of persons being outside of their homes through their documents but it is also important for them to respect the authorities imposing the 24-hour curfew in the city in compliance with enhanced community quarantine.
He claimed that the filing of the cases against the curfew violators and those who were disobedient to the apprehending officers should serve as a warning to the public that the law enforcers are strict in implementing the rules and regulations governing the enhanced community quarantine that will extend up to the end of the April.
Co appealed to the public for their continued cooperation in the implementation of the rules and regulations governing the quarantine period to ensure their safety from the disease coming from infected individuals or materials that have the virus so that there will be no opportunity for the deadly virus to spread in the community.
BCPO continues to maximize the presence of its personnel to manage the increasing number of checkpoints and conduct foot and mobile patrols around the city aside from the assignment of police personnel in the different offices to perform their assigned administrative functions among other related work.
By Dexter A. See