PNP’S APPEAL: ‘Village officials must stress need for home quarantine’

By Jennifer P. Rendon

On Tuesday evening, 40 persons were nabbed for violating the quarantine regulations in Iloilo City.

Twenty-nine of those who violated the curfew hours are of legal age while 11 are minors.

Police Captain Shella Mae Sangrines, Iloilo City Police spokesperson, said the violators were collared for skirting Executive Order No. 055-2020 or the Enhanced Community Quarantine (Lockdown) in Iloilo City “which aims to limit the mobility of persons roaming around the City to stop the spread of COVID-19.”

What was disheartening to note was several of them claimed they have home quarantine passes, thus, they are permitted to go out of their respective houses.

“Apparently, they don’t know the purpose of a home quarantine pass – which should have been a permit to buy food, medicine, or do other essential transactions. It’s not a pass to go out of your house during curfew hours, unless for emergency purposes,” Sangrines said.

She said that this cannot go on, since policemen have other things to do, apart from arresting violators.

The ICPO noted that many people are still defying the Executive Order signed by Mayor Jerry Treñas which led policemen, other law enforcement agencies and barangay officials to go hard against violators.

“Just because they have a quarantine pass, they thought they could just go anywhere they want. It apparently doesn’t sink in to them how dangerous this new coronavirus is,” she said.

Sangrines noted that the violators appeared to be complacent of the dangers they are facing.

“That’s why, we are appealing to village officials for us to work together in educating the people on the danger of COVID-19,” she said.

Tuesday night’s curfew violators were temporarily brought to Iloilo Freedom Grandstand.

They were later turned-over to their respective barangay officials for some disciplinary actions while minors were referred to the City Social Welfare Development Office (CSWDO).