PRO-7 to look for wider lockup cells for health protocol violators

ECQ violators in Cebu City are made to clean up part of the SRP coastal area in this July 7, 2020 photo. | Photo courtesy of PROBE

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) is planning to look for wider lockup cells that would be able to cater to individuals who will be arrested for violating health protocols here.

Police Brigadier General Albert Ignatius Ferro, director of PRO-7, said that they are doing this measure in line with the directive of President Rodrigo Duterte, who announced on Tuesday morning, July 21, 2020, that there should be a stricter implementation of health protocols. He also directed the police to arrest and jail violators.

Read: ‘Hulihin talaga’: Duterte wants stricter implementation of health protocols

“We will be following the directive of the president at all cost but we have to adjust to how we could manage that these jail individuals won’t be infected [with COVID-19] because that will be another big problem,” said Ferro.

According to Ferro, the detention cells at police stations won’t be enough as they also seek to maintain the health standards such as following social distancing even inside the jails to protect those who are arrested.

Ferro said that aside from a wider lockup cell needed where social distancing could be applied, the manner of arresting the individuals will also have to change. He said police will again have to come up with a different system on how to arrest violators to be be able to protect them from contracting the virus. /bmjo