Oplan Bulabog nets 194 curfew violators in Cebu City

A photo was taken during the deployment of police personnel of Labangon Police Station last Friday night, July 30, to check if the areas within their jurisdiction follow curfew.

CEBU CITY, Philippines — Cebu City policemen apprehended 194 health protocol violators from the evening of July 31 to dawn of August 1, which was the start of the strict implementation of the city’s curfew.

Police Lieutenant Colonel Wilbert Parilla, Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) deputy director for operations,  said that the violators were mostly curfew violators and were caught during last night’s Oplan Bulabog.

Parilla said that they started the operation at the start of the city’s curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m.

He said that out of the 194 violators, 22 of them were minors that they rescued.

These minors were given a warning and then turned over to their guardians or parents.

Parilla said that the adults, who were caught violating curfew and were caught during their Oplan Bulabog, were turned over to the city’s Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification, and Enhancement (PROBE).

PROBE has set up two holding facilities for violators in the city — one in Barangay Labangon gymnasium and the other one is in Barangay Cogon Ramos gymnasium.

Parilla also said that Police Station 5 or the Carbon Police Station caught the most number of violators with 38 during the Oplan Bulabog.

Sawang Calero Police Station apprehended 26 while Osmeña Boulevard Police Station and Mabolo Police Station got 22 each.

Liquor Ban

He also said that there were no apprehensions in line with the liquor ban as establishments followed protocols, especially those in the mountain areas.

“Wala na tay nadakpan sa liquor ban. Makita man nato nga bisag sa mga restaurants, wala na. Even sa mountain barangays, naa ang atoang CMFC ngadto. Adto sila sa taas, sa bukid. Naa sad tay gibutang ngadto atoang CMFC, silay in charge sa establishments ngadtos bukid,” he said.

(We have no apprehensions on liquor ban violators. We can see that the restaurants, there were none. Even in the mountain barangays, we have our CMFC [City Mobile Force Company] there. They are assigned to the city’s mountain areas. We have some CMFC personnel there. They are in charge of checking establishments located in the upland areas.)

Public Transportation

Parilla also said that they had already met with different transport groups and they agreed to follow the guidelines set for them.

He said that these groups were asked to place their capacity from outside their vehicles so the commuter would easily see it. 

He also warned the drivers that if they would not follow these rule, then they would be warned or worse apprehended.

He also warned commuters that they would also be apprehended if they would force themselves to board a public utility vehicle despite the vehicle already beyond the passenger capacity.

Hard Copy COEs

For those who are working on the night shift, Parilla said that the individuals they had checked were able to present hard copies of their Certificates of Employment (COE). 

He said that police would not honor a soft copy of a COE and would not count this as a valid document.

“Hard copy gyud kay dali ra man ang pagbuhat anang soft copy. So atoang pangayuon together with his or her ID. Dili lang kay COE, dapat naa gyuy ID sa ilang kompanya to make sure nga nag trabaho gyud sya,” Parilla said.

(It should be a hard copy since soft copies are easy to make. We will ask for this together with the person’s ID. Not only COE, but there should also be IDs from their company to make sure that they are really working there.)

He also said that employers should state the specific time of the employees respective duty hours in their COEs.

“For example 8 to 5 iyang duty, unya alas 10 sa gabie nagsuroy-suroy pa siya. Dili sab na pwede bisag naa pa silay COE,” he added.

(For example, one has an 8 to 5 working shift, and it is already 10 p.m and he or she is still outside loitering, then that is not an excuse even if he or she has a COE.)

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