CCPO to continue arresting violators

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has long been arresting violators of health protocols in the city even before the newly installed chief PNP, General Guillermo Eleazar, ordered to arrest and detain violators within a certain number of hours.

Police Lt. Colonel Wilbert Parilla, deputy city director for operations, said the local police have since been doing arrest albeit violators were not detained. Parilla said those who were arrested for violating health protocols were either fined or made to do community service.

“Sukad pani kaniadto wa nag change atong stand. Padayon ang pagpatuman especially sa atoang pagsaka sa number sa nagpositive atong nakita nga dako ning tabang nga pugngan ang pag-spread sa virus. So ever since ato gyud ning gipatuman atong ipakita sa daily accomplishments sa atoang activities with regards to COVID naay kada-adlaw nga apprehension,” said Parilla.

Apprehensions were made mostly for non-wearing of masks and non-observance of physical distancing. Violators were turned over to the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (PROBE) team for processing.

“Wa tay i-priso only admin fine. Adto sila sa atong holding area ato silang i-profile naa tay offenses, naa syay level sa atong admin fines, mao na kinahanglan i-profile ang tanan violations sa health protocols,” said Parilla.

According to Parilla, apprehensions had been very effective in controlling the people from going out. He said that for the past months the number of violators has decreased.

“Sa karon nagkaanam og kaubos, minimal nalang pero naa gihapo’y naapprehend. Pero dili na pareha kaniadto kay bisan karon makakita ka nga misunod sila and aware na sad sila. Ang atong katawhan mosunod gyud dapat kay naa gyuy mag-check, especially sa health protocol,” said Parilla.

Meanwhile, Cebu Provincial Police Office director Colonel Engelbert Soriano said they will stick to the policy espoused by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia. Soriano said their guidance is to arrest violators but no detention nor administrative fines.

“Nakinig ako kahapon sa ating chief PNP, ang sabi nya we arrest them, yung hulihin, pero malinaw ang sinabi nya hindi sila ikukulong, I (talked) with our governor yesterday, and she told me ,we stick to the policy of the local government unit of the province,” Soriano told reporters.

In line with this, Soriano said they have been distributing face masks and PPEs to the police stations in the province as they were also directed to provide face masks to violators instead of fining them for not wearing one.

“Actually isa yan sa purpose nitong byahe namin na pupunta by district para mag distribute nung ibinigay natin supply ng facemask and other PPEs…yes, that remains, yung policy ng ating provincial government yan pa rin ating susundin,” Soriano said. — FPL (FREEMAN)