CCPO gives ultimatum to leisure bikers

CEBU, Philippines —  The Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) has given leisure bikers an ultimatum after more protocol violators have been caught along the mountain area during the weekends.

CCPO deputy director for operations, Police Lt. Colonel Wilbert Parilla, said that just on weekends alone, they were able to apprehend at least 79 violators.

The 18 of them were leisure bikers who were issued citation tickets for not wearing of facemasks.

Parilla said they have been reminding these bikers that the law enforcers will strictly implement the minimum health standard protocols after observing that whenever the quarantine classification is downgraded, some people also relax in observing the protocols.

"Sa pagkakaron ato na ning ipadayon og strikto nga pagpatuman ang mga health protocols..they were not wearing facemask, not observing the physical distancing didto sa area diin sila manghunong," said Parilla.

The CCPO along with the Cebu City Transportation Office and the PROBE personnel has installed checkpoints where leisure bikers usually pass through.

Usually on weekends, more leisure bikers go to the mountain areas in the city.

"Mao ni atong gituyo og check kung nituman ba sila sa atong pasidaan, so atong nakita nga daghan gihapon ang wala nituman," said Parilla.

According to Parilla, they have been constantly reminding the bikers to follow the protocols.

Failure to do so after one week of ultimatum, Parilla said they will recommend to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to stop the leisure biking in the City.

Within the week, the CCPO is monitoring the leisure biking to assess if it will be pursuing the recommendation.

"If padayon gihapon, we will be forced to recommend to EOC," said Parilla.

"Another week nga motuman lang sila kay kining tanan ato ra man ning gibuhat para sa kaayohan sa tanan," he added. — GMR (FREEMAN)