PNP vows stricter ECQ enforcement as cops with Covid-19 now 89

THE PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) said it will tighten the implementation of quarantine rules, as the number of police officers afflicted with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) rose to 89.  

“The PNP under the command of Gen. Archie Gamboa will be firm in standing by our President Rodrigo Roa Duterte that for us to win this war vs. Covid-19, we need to impose on all Filipinos strict ECQ and GCQ (general community quarantine) measures as well as lead the thorough contact tracing and isolation of possible Covid-19 patients in the country. We need everybody’s cooperation as we strictly impose the law in this time of national emergency,” said PNP spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, in a statement late Tuesday.

As of Tuesday noon, PNP Health Service director, Brig. Gen. Herminio Tadeo Jr., said there are 559 suspect and 199 probable Covid-19 cases in the police force.

Meanwhile, 13 recoveries were recorded while the death toll remains at three.

The PNP said public support for strict quarantine measures is reflected on the results of the latest poll by consultancy firm EON and research firm Tangere which showed nine out of 10 Filipinos have high trust in President Rodrigo R. Duterte and the government amid pandemic.

The President got a 94.03 percent trust rating, according to the poll.

It added that government agencies at the forefront of response efforts against Covid-19 also got high trust marks.

The Department of Health got 84.79 percent while the Department of the Interior and Local Government received 82.19 percent and the Department of Social Welfare and Development got 74.89 percent, according to the poll.

“Cooperation and compliance with government mandates hinge on public trust, especially in a time of unprecedented crisis when collective anxiety and uncertainty are high,” according to the report.

The PNP also encouraged all sectors to support and comply with quarantine measures for the nation to stop the spread of the virus and to move towards following government regulations on GCQ.

“As we approach the commemoration of Labor Day, we continue to support poor families, including the majority of the labor force affected by the quarantine through our Kapwa Ko, Sagot Ko Program but we will also implement strict ECQ and GCQ measures in all communities regardless of social status. The PNP will do all necessary measures under the law for us to maintain order and to overcome this pandemic,” Banac said. (By Christopher Lloyd Caliwan)