Police presence on streets, fines effective against ECQ violators

Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) personnel ask individuals caught on the street during the curfew hours to board the police mobile patrol. | Photo Courtesy of LLCPO

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The P1,000 to P6,000 penalty and police visibility on the streets have contibuted to the declining numbers of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) violators in Lapu-Lapu City.

As of today, April 18, 2020, there were only 27 persons who were caught for violating ECQ — this makes the total number of violators since the start of the implementation of ECQ at 900.

Read more: Curfew violators in Lapu-Lapu City face stiff fines

Police Colonel Clarito Baja, Lapu-lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) chief, told CDN Digital that the reason for the fewer number of violators was the police presence on the streets.

The policemen were implementing strict observance of social distancing, wearing of face masks and checking of ECQ passes to make sure that only the authorized persons would be out on the streets.

“I can say that effective ang atoang penalty and police presence para mapasabot ang public,” said Baja.

(I can say that the fines and police presence were effective to let the public understand.)

Read more: Lapu-Lapu cops arrest 82 curfew violators

When the ECQ started, Baja said that they were able to arrest at least 40 to 50 persons a day which was a big difference compared to their recent arrested violators.

There were also no new persons arrested for playing “tigbakay” or other illegal gambling activities.

Baja said that the strict implementation of the rules had served as a warning to those who were arrested as no one from the 900 violators were caught again.

If the public would continue to heed the implemented regulations under the ECQ, Baja said he was hopeful Lapu-Lapu City would remain to be peaceful and free from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)./dbs