March 28, 2024

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A total of 619 individuals were arrested in the Cordillera for violating the strengthened Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) which started March 16.
Of the 454 arrested individuals, 429 were nabbed for violation of the curfew hours with 24 cases filed in court while 25 were caught for disobedience with 10 cases filed in court.
Records from the Police Regional Office-Cordillera showed that the Baguio City Police Office recorded the most number of individuals arrested for violating the curfew and for disobedience with 177 arrest followed by Benguet Police Provincial Office (PPO) with 137. Mountain Province PPO recorded 78 and Abra PPO had 37 arrests.
Police also conducted 717 operations that resulted in the arrest of 165 individuals for hoarding, profiteering, and overpricing of medical supplies and essential goods or items.
Police in Mountain Province arrested the highest number of violators with 97 arrest followed by BCPO with 67 arrests while Benguet has one arrest.
All local government units and law enforcement units have been imposing curfew to force the public to stay in their homes to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease-2019.
All chiefs of police were also ordered to strictly supervise the inspection of all ECQ control points to ensure the strict implementation.
“Police will enforce the law as public health is the priority of the enhanced community quarantine,” PRO-Cor Director, B/Gen. R’win Pagkalinawan said.
PRO-Cor also appealed to the public to cooperate, stay calm, and stay home.
“We, your police force and other units, are doing all we can to protect everyone from the (infection), but we need your outmost cooperation to protect and fight this virus,” Pagkalinawan said. – Press release