BCPO to ‘arrest’ persons who refuse to be quarantined

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) will not hesitate to apply force against persons who refused to be quarantined if they were suspected for the infection of coronavirus disease (COVID)-2019.

Police Colonel Henry Biñas, BCPO director, said on Friday that he has assigned policemen to arrest individuals identified as persons under monitoring (PUMs) or Persons Under Investigation (PUIs) if they do not follow the health and safety protocols on COVID-19.

Biñas said the BCPO has personnel who have background on medical course who will be assigned to monitor these individuals in case there’s resistance on their part.

Biñas said their arrest will depend on the reports from Department of Health (DOH) or the City Health Office (CHO) which will provide them the information or identity of a patient who refuses to go on self quarantine.

Biñas said these individuals won’t be arrested as criminals, but rather they will be pacified and will be referred to the DOH or CHO for assessment. Then they will be brought home for self quarantine.

The Bacolod top cop warned them that, “if they resort to violence, the police will be filing a criminal complaint against them for disobedience or resistance upon an agent of person in authority.”

Biñas said the CHO provided them with protective equipment for the said purpose. He said that the police will also be deployed in case there’s security risk to maintain the peace and order situation in the city.

Meanwhile, Police Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Pico, BCPO public information officer, said that they have drafted an action plan with the 61 barangay captains here to also help them in monitoring these individuals.

“If there’s a need for us to arrest them, we will do it because they are just like a walking bomb if they continue to roam around the streets instead of staying at home, considering that Bacolod is a highly-urbanized city, with a big population,” he added.

He assured the people and the local government officials that they are ready to assist the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) 24/7.