Task Force COVID asks cops, barangay tanods to ensure observance of social distancing

April 12, 2020

The Joint Task Force COVID Shield has tasked policemen and barangay watchmen to ensure strict implementation of social distancing and other public health safety measures in their respective areas following social media posts of jam-packed public markets.

JTF CoViD Shield commander Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar on Sunday said that is a clear violation of the rules in the prevention of the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Eleazar said that both the policemen and barangay tanods were tapped to ensure that social distancing are observed in other public places following other social media posts that showed a barangay hosting a street parade, and worse, reports of illegal cockfighting.

“Our Chief PNP, General Archie Francisco Gamboa, has already instructed local police commanders across the country to implement measures that would limit the number of people in the public markets, specifically on the matter concerning the strict observance of the social distancing rule,” he said.

“On the part of Secretary of the Interior and Local Government Eduardo Año, he had already tasked barangay officials to assist in this effort to make sure that there would be no more violation of the Enhanced Quarantine guidelines on social distancing,” he added.

In the past few days, there have been social media posts about presence of large number of market goers in some public markets in Metro Manila. Concerns were raised that the market goers and vendors were exposing themselves to high risk of infection.

While some local police forces have already implemented innovations to ensure the observance of social distancing in public markets, there are still other public markets in Metro Manila and other parts of the country where strict implementation of the rules must be enforced.

“First, there must be limited entry and exit points that would be manned by policemen, soldiers and other force multipliers such as barangay tanod. They are tasked to limit the number of people entering the public market,” Eleazar said.

Limiting the number of people going inside the public market is a way of ensuring that social distancing is observed.

The same concept is already being implemented in supermarkets and grocery stores.

The police official said the police teams or other monitoring teams composed of other law enforcement units and force multipliers will constantly remind and warn people to observe social distancing inside the public markets through the use of megaphones.

Eleazar added that other devices could also be used not only to compel but also make people conscious about social distancing rules inside the public markets.

He also instructed local police commanders to continue the conduct of mobile patrol in public places and residential areas in their areas of responsibilities to ensure that those who have no business of going to the public market and other areas must stay at their home.

“The real purpose of the Enhanced Community Quarantine which we have been doing in almost one month now would be put to waste if we continue to allow people to violate home quarantine rules especially social distancing and for them to stay at their houses,” Eleazar said. Ella Dionisio/DMS