PNP to enforce border control changes

Eleazar said they are seeing an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases outside Metro Manila, thus the need to stop the spread of the virus to low-risk areas

Philippine National Police (PNP) chief General Guillermo Eleazar assured the public Sunday that tight border controls will continue to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) in the country.

Eleazar said that appropriate measures will remain at quarantine control points even if protocol restrictions are eased in the National Capital Region and nearby provinces as proposed by the OCTA Research Group.

“We guarantee that the PNP will maintain heightened measures on border control points so that the virus will no longer spread from one place to another,” Eleazar said.

He said the PNP is seeing an increase in the number of Covid-19 cases outside Metro Manila, thus the need to stop the spread of the virus to low-risk areas.

The PNP follows guidelines set by the national government, specifically the Inter-Agency Task

Force (IATF) on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Eleazar said.

“We are only enforcing the rules laid down by the IATF, so if there are changes, in case the relaxation continues elsewhere, we will implement them,” he said.

He cited the need to guard against unnecessary or non-essential travel, especially to and from areas under stricter quarantine levels.

We are only enforcing the rules laid down by the IATF, so if there are changes, in case the relaxation continues elsewhere, we will implement them.

However, policemen manning the checkpoints had been briefed to allow the unhampered passage of vehicles carrying essential goods or those undertaking essential travel.

The random inspections of vehicles are also conducted at the quarantine control points, he said.

PHOTOGRAPH BY BOB DUNGO JR. FOR THE DAILY TRIBUNE @tribunephl_bob Three on two A bicycle proves utilitarian for this family of three coasting along Mel Lopez Boulevard in Tondo, Manila.