400 cops to augment Cebu City police force

CEBU. In this photo taken on March 28, 2020, when Cebu City first went into lockdown, a police officer checks the temperature of a trisikad driver. (File Photo)
CEBU. In this photo taken on March 28, 2020, when Cebu City first went into lockdown, a police officer checks the temperature of a trisikad driver. (File Photo)

SOME 400 policemen will be deployed in Cebu City to augment the local police force and ensure the enforcement of stringent quarantine restrictions until June 30, 2020.

Brigadier Gerenaral Albert Ferro, Police Regional Office Central Visayas (PRO-7) director, said on Wednesday, June 17, said the augmentation force will come from neighboring police offices and the regional Crisis Response Battalion.

The Cebu City Police Office has around 2,000 personnel.

“Since yesterday nag-full blast na kami ng (deployment) and information dissemination, nag-ikot and we even use military asset like armored vehicle to inform the people that we are under ECQ again so we need to cooperate again. We are seeking the cooperation of all Cebuanos,” Ferro said.

Cebu City reverted to enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) effective June 16 until June 30 because of high critical care utilization rate, fast case doubling time and widespread transmission of the novel coronavirus, or Sars-CoV-2, which causes the coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

Aside from ensuring that minimum health standards will strictly be observed, police will also take part in contact tracing and securing houses, barangays and hospitals with confirmed cases of infection.

Ferro said they will focus on containing the outbreak in depressed areas.

“Sa atin kasi may mga depressed areas... kasi ang problema natin ‘yung depressed areas. ‘Yung main thoroughfare kaya na natin yan sa mga checkpoints ang problema natin how to ccontrol the depressed areas kasi dikit-dikit yun and you know naman the squatters area, ’yung mga informal settlers natin, minsan mahirap sumunod,” he said.

“Ang problema natin dito talaga mga depressed areas at the same time mga jails natin. Do’n talaga nagkaroon ng spike dito sa Cebu dahil sa infection sa loob ng jail,” he added.

He said they were closely coordinating with the local government of Cebu City for the re-implementation of the ECQ.

“Ngayon we have a meeting with Mayor Labella to harmonize our efforts to contain the virus and for the implementation of the ECQ,” he said.

As of June 16, the Cebu City Health Department said the city has a total of 3,814 cases, with 1,924 recoveries and 41 deaths.

Of the total cases, 471 are persons deprived of liberty: 436 at the Cebu City Jail and 35 at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center.

There are also 230 PDLs at the Mandaue City Jail and 23 Bureau of Jail Management and Penology personnel who were infected with the virus, or a total of 730 cases in jails in Cebu province.

Of the 730, four had died, 309 recovered while 417 were active cases. (SunStar Philippines)

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