A total of 99 policemen have been dispatched to various city and municipal stations under the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) to help enforce the province-wide 14-day enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).
Col. Romeo Baleros, provincial police director, said on Tuesday the police is doing its best to enforce the home quarantine, from March 30 to April 14, among Negrenses to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) while ensuring peace and order in the province.
“I appeal to them to help us implement Executive Order 20-20 by simply following the order to stay at home and be safe,” Baleros said.
The additional troops, deployed on Monday, include personnel from the NOCPPO headquarters and the 2nd Negros Occidental Provincial Mobile Force.
Baleros said they would augment police stations whose personnel are manning the checkpoints and imposing the curfew while performing anti-criminality functions at the same time.
Under EO 20-20, Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson ordered that “a strict home quarantine shall be observed in all households; movement shall be limited to accessing basic necessities; provision for food and essential health services shall be regulated; and there will be a heightened presence of uniformed personnel to enforce quarantine procedures.”
For 14 days, a strict home quarantine shall be observed in all households in Negros Occidental and movement shall be limited to accessing basic necessities.
On Monday, patrol cars of the 31 city and municipal police stations in Negros Occidental joined ambulances and fire trucks in a simultaneous sounding of sirens and conduct of information campaign on the salient points of EO 20-20.
Baleros also directed the police stations to strictly enforce the implementing rules and regulations of the governor’s order and arrest the violators. (Nanette Guadalquiver ndb via pna)