CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police dispersed at around 11 a.m. today, June 28, at least 15 participants of a motocross activity in Barangay Pulpogan in Consolacion, a town in northern Cebu.
Police Major Verniño Noserale, Consolacion Police Station chief, told reporters that they received reports about the activity and caught at least 15 individuals participating in the motocross activity.
The motocross participants were not arrested but instead asked to disperse which they immediately heeded. However, police listed their names before they were allowed to disperse in case there would be repeat offenders among them.
According to Noserale, they opted not to arrest the individuals because all were cooperative with the policemen.
He said that since the Consolacion Police Station was still under lockdown, there was no other place to detain the individuals should they arrest them.
“Kaning grupo naa lang sila mga interpretation sa protocols nga allowed sila just like tennis and golf but nakalimtan man nila ang oras naa man specific period nga allowed ang non-c0ntact sports. Technically wala siya na specified sa guidelines nga dili siya allowed, but atong gina prevent is gathering of audience,” said Noserale.
(This group of motocross riders have wrongly interpreted the protocols which allowed non-contact sports just like tennis and golf. They forgot what time to hold these activities because there is a specific period to allow these non contact sports to be held. Technically, these were not specified in the guidelines that they would not be allowed to hold their event, but what we are trying to prevent is the gathering of an audience or a crowd.)
Meanwhile, Noserale appeals to the public to help the Consolacion Police force in keeping the community safe by also being mindful of their actions which they can show by staying at home, wearing face masks when going outside, observing social distancing and following other general community quarantine rules./dbs