Members of the Danao City Police Station man a health checkpoint in Danao City, northern Cebu on March 23, 2020. CDN Digital photo | Alven Marie Timtim
CEBU CITY, Philippines—The Regional Director of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, conducted a checkpoint inspection in northern Cebu, late Monday night, March 23, 2020.
Together with Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) director, Ferro made stops in the towns of Catmon and Carmen, and Danao City, checking on the number of policemen present in each checkpoint. He also checked on the protective equipment available for the personnel manning the health checkpoints.
Checkpoints are being placed in different parts of Cebu as a measure to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the region.
The checkpoint inspection of Ferro came a few hours after the Regional Task Force-7 (RTF-7) Shield was activated afternoon of the same day, to help combat the deadly virus.
Read: PRO-7 activates Regional Task Force-7 Shield
Ferro explained in a press briefing that the main purpose of the RTF-7 is to have the coordinative and liaisonic coordination with all the security forces in Central Visayas.
This means that the different law enforcement agencies from the police, to the armed forces, coast guard, and Bureau of Fire, has one commanding director in giving order related to securing the community from the Covid-19 crisis.
Ferro said that the RTF-7 had the same format structure of the joint task force, but it would highlight the unified directive from one commander in implementing a synchronized and organized operation.
Ferro assured that the activation of RTF-7 would be a guide for the law enforcement sectors that they would follow to avoid disagreements.
Meanwhile, Ferro also informed the present policemen during the checkpoint inspection to have the necessary materials to conduct checkpoints such as reflectorized checkpoint signboards./bmjo