CCPO chief explains: ECQ not a lockdown

Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) Director Hector Grijaldo said that the implementation of the Executive Order on the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) will not be a total lockdown, but a limitation of movements of people.

Grijaldo said that they will be adding more control points and measures in their existing ones.

“The lockdown is not a lockdown, but we are just imposing some discipline in the community,” said Grijaldo.

Citing a market place as an example, Grijaldo said they will be implementing a specific time for the people to buy goods, and a stricter social distancing.

“From the word enhance dadagdagan nalang natin ang mga gagawin natin and we are inviting other stakeholders in implementing, like in the barangays to limit the movements of the people,” said Grijaldo.

GOVERNMENT PASSES

He added that as long as the people have the passes given by the government, they will be allowed to go out to the barangays.

He said that they have identified the depressed areas and will focus the employment of personnel there.

“We have data that there are about 45 depressed areas. So, along the way we have to compress anong action plan ng PNP and easily we can do it,” said Grijaldo.

The police offices of Cebu City and the Cebu Province are ready for the implementation of the ECQ that will take effect on March 28.

Grijaldo said they will be strictly implementing the directives and guidelines given to them by Cebu City Mayor Edgardo Labella, specifically on the entry points of the City.

On their deployment, Grijaldo said that they will just improve as their security augmentation has already been practiced during the implementation of the community quarantine and the curfew.

Grijaldo has also admitted that they lack police personnel to guard the 80 barangays of the city and added that they will need the help of the barangay officials.

“This is a community synchronized activity. Buot pasabot nga tanan maglihok – kapulisan, ang atung mga opisyales sa city ug mga barangay. (Sa) komunidad, kung gusto sila motabang boluntaryo ni, kinahanglan nato iimposar nga ang kining atong aktibidadis,” Grijaldo said.

Meanwhile, Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) Director, said that he will be calling the 50 chiefs of police in the cities and municipalities of Cebu on the guidelines of the governor’s executive order.