AT LEAST 26 violators of community quarantine were arrested in different provinces in Eastern Visayas as the region is bracing for the spread of the killer coronavirus disease (Covid-2019).

Of the 26 violators, eight were from Leyte; eight from Northern; seven from Eastern Samar; two from Samar; and one from Tacloban City.

Brigadier General Bernabe Balba, the newly-assigned police regional director, appealed to the public to cooperate with the authorities following the continued violation of the Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC) or “Resistance and disobedience to an Agent of a Person in Authority” while the entire region is under community quarantine.

“My message is plain and simple – let us all unite and be a hero, stay at home and save lives. It is the least thing that you can contribute to the government amid this national health crisis,” the police official said.

Under community quarantine status, each local government in the region has its own adaptation or modifications of the strict directive.

As one of the preventive measures against the disease, authorities have set up border control or checkpoints across the region.

“Thus, in compliance to such, anyone who violates said directive is subject for arrest,” Balba said.

As of March 23, Eastern Visayas has recorded one Covid-19 case from Catarman, Northern Samar.

Health officials have also started its contact tracing to prevent the spread of the disease. (SunStar Philippines)