The Joint Task Force COVID Shield has started to set up mobile checkpoints in EDSA and other major thoroughfares of Metro Manila following reports for violation of home quarantine rule using private vehicles and violation of social distancing inside private cars.
Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, Commander of the JTF COVID Shield, said the mobile checkpoints inside Metro Manila are being manned and supervised by personnel of the Philippine National Police – Highway Patrol Group who were tasked to check if private vehicle owners are complying with the guidelines of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
PLt.Gen. Eleazar said PNP Chief, Police General Archie Francisco Gamboa has already tasked the HPG Director, Police Brigadier General Eliseo Cruz Jr. to coordinate with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) for the establishment of mobile checkpoints metrowide based on the recommendation of the JTF COVID Shield.
He said the JTF COVID Shield has decided to set up mobile checkpoints along major thoroughfares within Metro Manila as an immediate response on the overt increase of private vehicles travelling in Metro Manila in the past few days, which were also noticed and posted by some netizens in their social media accounts.
“Maaring ang ibang mga kababayan natin ay naiinip na kaya naisipang mag-road trip roadtrip para samantalahin na walang traffic, at baka nagsama pa ng mga kaibigan at ilang miyembro ng pamilya na mag-ikot-ikot sa Metro Manila gamit ang kanilang mga sasakyan,” said PLt.Gen. Eleazar.
“We would like to emphasize that this is a clear violation of the home quarantine and social distancing rules. Muli, ipinapaalala namin sa ating mga kababayan na huhulihin po namin kayo dahil ito po ay bawal under the ECQ guidelines,” he added.
PLt.Gen. Eleazar said that the HPG personnel manning the mobile checkpoints within Metro Manila were tasked to check if the driver of the private vehicle is allowed to go outside his house under the ECQ guidelines.
“Currently, there are no QCPs (Quarantine Control Points) along EDSA so I tasked HPG to conduct mobile checkpoints not only along EDSA but also in other major thoroughfares in Metro Manila to check on private vehicles if there are UPOR (Unauthorized Persons Outside Residence) occupants,” said PLt.Gen. Eleazar.
PLt.Gen. Eleazar futher explained that mobile checkpoints were established on EDSA and other major thoroughfares in Metro Manila in order to ensure flexibility on the part of the HPG personnel. He said mobile checkpoints are easy and fast to set up— anytime and anywhere in Metro Manila, depending on the presence of huge volume of vehicles in particular areas at a given time.
Police BGen. Cruz, for his part, vowed that his men will be strict in enforcing the home quarantine and social distancing rules on private vehicles.
“If there is at least one UPOR as passenger or the only occupant is the driver but he is also UPOR, we will arrest them,” said PBGen. Cruz.
OPLAN HABOL
A few days ago, a video of a motorcycle rider with a passenger went viral when the driver sped off after being flagged down by a Metro Manila traffic enforcer for a clear violation of social distancing.
PLt.Gen. Eleazar said one of the strategies they formulated to run after motorcycle riders violating the home quarantine and social distancing is to deploy HPG personnel under the OPLAN HABOL.
“Aside from mobile checkpoints, our HPG personnel will also implement OPLAN HABOL. Under this, HPG riders will look for areas where there are a lot of private vehicles and check if the vehicle has more than one occupant,” said PLt.Gen. Eleazar.
“These HPG riders will serve as a standby force. They will immediately proceed to the area where there are a lot of private vehicles and they will also run after private vehicles which are avoiding the mobile checkpoints,” he added.
PLt.Gen. Eleazar said the HPG personnel are also tasked to run after motorcycle riders violating social distancing, or those with backriders.
“Sisiguraduhin natin na wala ng lusot ang mga nagpapalusot na mga violator ng home quarantine at social distancing,” said PLt.Gen. Eleazar.
“We need to do this, we must be very strict against these violators dahil hindi lang nila binabastos ang ating gobyerno, ang ating mga medical workers at ang iba pang mga frontliners na patuloy na nagsasakripisyo para sa proteksyon ng bawat Pilipino; Inilalagay din nila sa alanganin ang kanilang mga sarili, ang kanilang mga pamilya at binabalewala ang sakripisyo ng karamihan sa mga Pilipino na minarapat na patuloy na sundin at irespeto and panawagan na manatili sa kanilang mga tahanan upang tuluyang maiwasan ang paglaganap ng COVID-19,” he added.
