Strict ECQ measures to be implemented until GCQ takes effect on May 1

April 24, 2020

Strict implementation of enhanced community quarantine (ECQ)  will remain on areas declared under the general enhanced community (GCQ) until the end of April as the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) is set to release its guideline.

Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar, the Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID Shield commander , said Friday the pronouncement of President Rodrigo Duterte on GCQ and extended ECQ will take effect by May 1.

“The GCQ and ECQ are both community quarantine but the GCQ is what we called more lenient (implementation)… if you can recall, Metro Manila was under GCQ and no work stoppage that time but when it was enhanced to ECQ, there is a work stoppage,” Eleazar said in a radio interview.

“So we would like to inform the public that until April 30, whatever is being implemented now, together with the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and other law enforcement agency will be strictly enforced,” he said.

Eleazar admitted that once the GCQ is implemented, it will be hard for them to operate as public transportation and work stoppage will be lifted.

“The truth is our job will become more difficult because for the security sector, if there are less exempted then easier for us... but if there are more exemptions just like opening of public transportation and establishments, the more (people are) allowed then the more we will check… that is the implication for us,” Eleazar said.

He said they still have an augmentation of almost 43,000 but it has to be analyzed by the Philippine National Police leadership.

“And we are augmented by the AFP and other law enforcement agencies,” he added.

Eleazar reiterated his appeal for public’s cooperation in helping the country fight the spread of COVID-19.

President Rodrigo Duterte announced the extension of the ECQ in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon and other COVID-19 high risk areas in the country until May 15.

“While the ECQ will still be in place in these areas until the middle of next month, the strict implementation of home quarantine measures will be partly eased in most provinces and regions of the country after April 30,” he said in a statement.

“But our troops in those areas are expected to remain vigilant and continue implement the guideline of the IATF-MEID pertaining to this,” he added.

In a virtual briefing, Police Brigadier General Bernard Banac, PNP spokesperson, said there will be fewer arrests in areas under GCQ unlike in ECQ.

“But if there will still be violators (on areas under GCQ) we will continue to caution them… but to those (areas) identified as ECQ, strict enforcement of law will continue,” Banac said.

“Let’s remember that we are doing this because we don’t want the public to get infected by the virus… we are not arresting the violators because we are mad at them but because we don’t want them to get sick that may possibly lead to their death,” he added.

Banac said the PNP will continue to enforce strict ECQ law until the end of COVID-19 period. Ella Dionisio/DMS