Task forces accost more than 300,000 quarantine violators since March 17

August 11, 2020

Joint Task Force COVID Shield on Tuesday again appealed for public cooperation after they recorded more than 300,000 violators since the implementation of community quarantine in March.

Based on their data, a total of 308,859 have been apprehended from March 17 to August 10, or during the 147 days of strict implementation of quarantine rules.

Of the figure, 47 percent of them or 146,012 were warned; 25 percent or 77,190 were fined while the rest of the 28 percent were charged.

Police Lt. General Guillermo Eleazar, JTF commander, said the accosted violators increased after  violation on motorcycle pillion riding were included in the quarantine rules starting July 10.

Violators of motorcycle back-riding from July 10 to July 31 were just warned as they were given 22-days to comply with the motorcycle barrier requirement for pillion riding.

But since the rules on pillion riding were implemented last August 1, a total of 16,927 were apprehended across the country.

“The success and failure of our fight against COVID-19 depends on the cooperation of our kababayan. The more they defy and challenge the rules set by the government to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, the more they make it difficult for our government to protect them,” said Eleazar.

He said the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases comes with the increase in the number of quarantine violators accosted for defying rules against unnecessary travels and non-compliance to the minimum health safety standard protocols such as wearing of face masks and physical distancing.

They also continue to receive reports of violations of quarantine rules at the community level such as engaging in drinking sessions, holding and attending parties and other celebrations and even gambling, added Eleazar.

 “On the part of the JTF COVID Shield, we will continue to maximize what we have to strictly enforce the quarantine rules because what is at stake here is the lives of the Filipino people and the fate of our country,” he said.  Ella Dionisio/DMS