Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, Cebu City Police Office director, (left) inspects Sitio Zapatera, Barangay Luz, when it has been placed in a lockdown. Ligan said that with the responsibiities they carry, they have no time to think about fear. | Photo courtesy of CCPO
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Fighting an unknown enemy is very scary.
What makes it even scarier is the thought that they too can get the infection and die while they risk their lives serving their fellow Cebuanos during the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
But for Police Colonel Josefino Ligan, Cebu City Police Office director, they do not have the time to even think of their own safety anymore.
Ligan said they now had their hands full with a lot of responsibilities, other than law enforcement.
With the ECQ in Cebu City and the implementation of lockdown in some of the barangays having cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Ligan said that they were given additional responsibilities to also secure these areas.
Read more: Labangon placed under lockdown with 14 COVID-19 cases
“Isip miyembro sa kapolisan, responsibilidad nga magbantay gyud nila, without fear…kay kung mahadlok mi kinsa na lang man ang motrabaho ani nga kami man ang na assign?,” said Ligan.
(As law enforcers it is our responsibility to secure these places without fear. If we start to feel fear, who else will do the task that is assigned to us?)
Just like the medical frontliners, policemen also risk their lives and safety as they go around COVID-19 affected areas to provide security to medical personnel and to ensure the safety of residents while they are asked to stay in their respective homes.
Because of what they do, it will not come as a surprise that they, too, are susceptible to the infection.
Read: 9 policemen assigned in Sitio Zapatera monitored for experiencing ILI
Still, the dangers that come with their job will never be a reason for them to falter.
To keep his men constantly motivated, Ligan said that he would personally make rounds of the different quarantine checkpoints.
He said it was important for his subordinates to feel that he was one with them in this fight against the dreaded COVID-19.
Ligan assumed office as CCPO director early this month or two weeks since the start of the ECQ implementation in Cebu City on March 28.
Read more: CCPO has a new director, again
It was also during his first few days when the positive cases for COVID-19 in Sitio Zapatera in Barangay Luz started to rise.
Immediate planning were made as the barangay was put under a total lockdown. A few days later, other barangays were also put under lockdown due to some residents testing positive of the virus.
Read more: Lockdown confuses, worries Sitio Zapatera residents
Unlike his position before as head of the Investigation and Detection Management Division of Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7), Ligan had to wake up earlier than 6 a.m. and often goes to sleep at past 1 a.m.
Ligan said he had to make sure that he would be able to go around the infected areas to assist the policemen assigned in those areas and to make sure they were also being taken care of as they had also been more exposed to the virus.
“Even if unknown ang enemy, dili makita, kumbati ra gihapon,” said Ligan.
(Even if the enemy is unknown, we cannot see them, we will continue to fight.)
When making his rounds, Ligan makes sure that he is able to provide for the needs of his personnel even in small ways such as sending small electric fans in their assigned tents to keep them cool during hot afternoons.
“We just have to keep on going. Mahuman lang gyud ni,” Ligan added.
(We just have to keep on going. This will soon be over.)
Fear sometimes creeps in
But for Police Master Sergeant Rasheed Hamis of the Carbon police station fear is something useful that keeps the mind alert.
Keeping the mind alert means that one prepares for any possible scenario.
“Andam lang gyud ta kanunay aron dili usab magkapuliki,” said Hamis.
(We just have to be ready and prepared so that we will not be at a disadvantage if things go south.)
Even before the implementation of the ECQ, Hamis has already instructed his family especially his three daughters to always practice social distancing, proper hygiene and to strictly stay home to avoid possible contacting of the virus.
Since more work have also been required from the police, Hamis has rarely gone home to his family, who were staying with relatives in Liloan town in northern Cebu, because he has often stayed at their station or at the family’s house in Barangay Mambaling in Cebu City.
In his 30 years in service, Hamis said it was the first time that he experienced being in the situation where he felt like he would lose since he could not seem to see where the enemy was attacking.
“May pa lagi giyera kay makita pa,” said Hamis.
(War is better than this because we can see the enemy.)
Although Hamis have also worried when he has thought about the possibility of contracting the virus, but he has steeled himself to set aside his worries because his priority has always been serving and saving the public.
He said that when the time would come and if the virus was meant to get him, that would be the time he would be more worried.
But for now, Hamis, like his fellow policemen will continue to serve the public without fear, even up against the COVID-19./dbs