Cops to scour social media for quarantine protocol violators

By Jennifer P. Rendon

 

Did you commit something that violated quarantine protocols? If you were not caught red-handed, social media might nail you.

Over the weekend, Police Brigadier General Rene Pamuspusan, Western Visayas police chief, has ordered policemen all over the region to be stringent when it comes to the implementation of health protocols following blatant violations as observed by the Joint Task Force COVID19 Shield.

As an offshoot, Pamuspusan has instructed that all commanders on the ground shall actively monitor Facebook and other social media platforms, especially in their respective areas of responsibility, for quarantine violations based on photos and videos posted by netizens seeking police intervention or those inadvertently posted by social media users.

The Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6) has cited that violations on rules of motorcycle back-riding, drinking sprees in public places and other quarantine protocol breaches posted on social media have compelled them to be stricter in implementing quarantine guidelines.

The region’s top cop also took notice that some social media users have flaunted photos or videos that might go against the rule on mass gathering.

Meanwhile, field commanders were also reminded to intensify police visibility in transport hubs and other places where commuters converge to ensure that drivers and passengers are properly observing the minimum health safety standard protocols such as wearing face masks and face shields, and physical distancing.

Further, random mobile checkpoints and surprise inspections on PUVs will also be part of the daily activities of ground commanders.

Pamuspusan said that he advised all police stations to coordinate with the officers of the local transport groups for the latter to educate their members and to police their own ranks.

“We encourage the general public to report violations to the nearest police stations, PNP hotline numbers and the Facebook pages of the regional office and the police stations,” he said.