| CPPO Director Engelbert Soriano | File Photo
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Policemen in Cebu arrested 48 bus drivers in the last 24 hours for the disregard of health protocols.
This is an indication that many of the drivers, who are plying provincial routes, continue to ignore Executive Order No. 35 – B issued by Governor Gwendolyn Garcia, says Police Colonel Engelbert Soriano, director of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO).
Soriano said drivers still need to learn to exercise “voluntary compliance” with the new regulation to avoid arrest.
And while they do not impose sanctions on violators, the police would file a report on their apprehensions to the Land Transportation Office (LTO) for appropriate action.
READ: CPPO chief: All 50 police stations in Cebu will now conduct 24/7 checkpoints
As of this writing, Soriano is visiting the different localities in Cebu to accompany Gov. Garcia during her inspection of the different border control checkpoints.
Unregulated commuting is among the factors blamed for the increase in the number of cases of the coronavirus disease in Cebu.
Soriano said this is the reason why there is a need to regulate public transport and make sure that drivers and their conductors only carry the allowed number of passengers and practice other safety measures identified in EO. No. 35-B.
The police, for its part, is also trying to intensify checkpoints to ensure compliance with the Governor’s mandate, he said.
In the last 24-hours or as of 6 .m. on Saturday, August 14, Soriano said, they apprehended 48 bus drivers for overloading, lack of trip tickets, and for allowing passengers to get a ride even in the absence of with face masks or face shields.
More than half of the 48 violators were apprehended in parts of northern Cebu. In the past days, most of their apprehensions were made in Talisay and Naga Cities in southern Cebu.
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In order to sustain their effort of conducting border checkpoints, Soriano said he is asking for personnel augmentation from the Regional Mobile Force Batallion in Central Visayas (RMFB-7).
Police Colonel Robert Lingbawan, the RMFB-7 chief, earlier expressed willingness to provide augmentation teams to help man checkpoints in Cebu City and Cebu province.
On Saturday afternoon, 250 of their personnel will be sent to the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).
Lingbawan said he is just waiting for Soriano to say how many policeman he would also need.
READ: CCPO gets needed backup: 250 fully-vaxxed regional cops
/ dcb