INTERIOR and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Año and Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Archie Gamboa on Tuesday, March 17, admitted that the inter-agency task force in charge of the establishment of checkpoints as part of the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon is still working on the guidelines.
In a television interview, Año admitted that the first day of the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine created confusion.
“(The purpose of the checkpoints) Lahat ng tao ay pauuwin sa bahay, yun ang unang instruction natin. Medyo expected what happened today or this morning kasi first day of implementation so may ibang maaga natulog, hindi nya alam ‘yung announcement at ‘yung mga tao na insisting na akala nya ay pinatutupad na general community quarantine pa rin na puwedeng pumasok ang mga tao,” said Año.
“So magkakaroon pa tayo ng maraming pronouncement ngayong umaga hanggang mamayang hapon at ngayon din ay kasalukuyang nagpupulong ang ating PNP, AFP, PCG, BFP, ‘yung iba pang mga ahensya na nagpapatupad ng border control at saka ng peace and order so sila ay gumagawa ng mga specific details sa pagpapatupad, “ he added.
Año was referring to the PNP, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), which are all members of the Inter-Agency Task Force CVseal or Covid Seal, headed by PNP deputy chief for operations Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar.
Gamboa, for his part, said they just gave the forces on the ground the discretion to decide who should be allowed to cross the borders.
He said the general rule is that only medical practitioners, residents of the area where the checkpoints are established and those delivering food and other basic needs such as medicines will be allowed to pass through.
“Well the common problem is when you do not define. Ang naging problema kasi talaga is on the exceptions kasi madaling sundin sana ‘yung general rule but we have also to take care partly of the economy and basic needs of people. So ngayon binibigyan ng discretion ‘yung checkpoints whether to allow or not but we will be coming up with guidelines,” he said.
“We beg your kind indulgence that we are doing all these measures in haste because we really need to act fast. But be assured that we will straighten out and fine tune all details as we finalize the implementing guidelines,” Gamboa added in a statement. (SunStar Philippines)