City cops nab fewer curfew violators

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) said only a handful of individuals violated the longer curfew hours.

“Mas kunti na lang ang pasaway ngayon kumpara dati,” Police Colonel Eric Dampal, Iloilo City police chief, said.

A week ago, Mayor Jerry Treñas re-imposed the 8 pm to 4 am curfew following a spike in local cases of COVID-19.

The longer curfew hours complemented an earlier executive order imposing the liquor ban.

Dampal said there could be several factors for the fewer number of violators.

“Baka mas takot na rin lumabas ang mga tao ngayon. Almost all establishments have also imposed a shorter time of operation kaya wala na rin silang mapuntahan,” he said.

Dampal said the violators may have been unaware of the new curfew hours.

Based on ICPO records, the City Proper district posted the highest number of arrests with 97; Jaro, 34; La Paz, 15; Molo, 8; and Mandurriao with 3.

No violators were arrested in Arevalo district.

From March 18, the start of the quarantine period, until August 12, ICPO already conducted 1,272 operations.

On curfew violations, 1,346 individuals were counseled and advised to go home.

City Proper logged the most number of apprehension with 281; Jaro and Molo districts with 246 each; Arevalo, 221; Jaro, 184; and Mandurriao, 168.