Quarantine violators

• Nearly 800 caught for defying curfew, liquor ban

AUTHORITIES apprehended 766 violators of the curfew and liquor ban since the implementation of home quarantine directive of the respective local government units (LGUs) in the region due to the COVID-19 threat.

Brig. Gen. Filmore Escobal, the director of Police Regional Office XI, said the curfew and liquor ban is strictly enforced, which already resulted in the apprehension of 700 curfew violators and 66 liquor ban violators.

Law enforcers, police auxiliary, and village security teams are continually on patrol to ensure the compliance of the home quarantine.

In a related report, five people were apprehended in Mati City at past 10 p.m. on Wednesday for violating the curfew and liquor ban.

Maj. Eudisan Gultiano, the Police Regional Office XI spokesperson, identified them as alias Mae, 16, single; Jelgar Corpuz Ugpo, 24, single, welder; Eugene Mamparo Quinio, 26, single, helper; and Mark

Lester Matias Bantayan, 18, single, all residents of Purok 17-B, Curbada Magsaysay.

Also arrested was Jose SuerteRendon, 19, single, and a resident of Purok Mabuhay-1, Barangay Matiao.

The five suspects were reportedly caught in the act of having a drinking session by the patrolling law enforcers.

Residents of Mati City are instructed to be at home from 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. in the attempt to control the spread of the virus.

Accordingly, Matic city PNP personnel led by Senior Master Sergeant Rosanna D Ormo under the direct supervision of Major Bembo Aying, the Chief of Police while conducting mobile patrolling for the implementation of curfew hours unwittingly, they actually saw in plain view a group of persons having a drinking spree outside the house at Purok 17-4B, Curbada Magsaysay, Barangay Central prompted them to immediately arrest the said violators.

Also, with the intensified checkpoints, Escobal reminded all police officers to strictly observe the necessary safety precautions, such as maintaining social distance, carrying pocket alcohol, wearing of masks, gloves, face shields, and the use of 12-inch sticks in checking bags.

Escobal frequently visits the different checkpoint areas to distribute personnel protective equipment or PPEs, rice subsidy, provide cash assistance, and see to it that the regional lockdown within Davao region is strictly enforced.

“With the ongoing crisis, the PRO XI received outpouring support from our stakeholders who donated PPEs to be used by our personnel," he said. "Others donated food and water to the personnel manning the checkpoints.”

With the outbreak of COVID-19 and the increasing number of infected individuals, Escobal is calling for the people’s cooperation on the government’s call for them to stay at home. He lamented that some people are still defying the enhanced community quarantine.

“We can’t win against COVID-19 if we continue to give it a chance to be transmitted to other people,” he said.

BING GONZALES Chinatown along Ramon Magsaysay Avenue, one of the busiest streets in the city, becomes a virtual ghost town as the city is under community quarantine for almost two weeks now, amid the COVID-19 threat.

BING GONZALES A POLICE officer checks the temperature of motorists at the checkpoint along Quimpo Boulevard before they are allowed to enter the downtown area. The city has been placed under community quarantine since March 15.