By Jennifer P. Rendon
The Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) on Friday said criminal charges await curfew violators amid the enhanced community quarantine against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Police Captain Shella Mae Sangrines, ICPO spokesperson, said they have exhausted every means – from soft approach to warning – to make residents stay at home.
“For several days, we did recorida (public announcement) to inform residents of the curfew. We also do a campaign on social media. It’s just that there are people who choose to defy the law,” she said.
Mayor Jerry Treñas had signed Ordinance No. 2020-056 imposing a mandatory curfew over the entire city from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
It was seen as an additional measure to boost the city’s enhanced community quarantine to ward off the spread of COVID-19.
Sangrines said that the move is also anchored to the PNP order for the police to be strict on curfew violators in areas under ECQ.
“The continuous curfew violation defeats the purpose of the ECQ declaration,” Sangrines said.
While the number of violators has “slowed down,” she said that they are still disappointed that some people choose to go out for non-essential reasons.
From March 17 to April 3, ICPO collared 807 persons – 95 for disobedience and 712 for curfew.
The 712 curfew violators – 609 adults and 103 minors – were counseled and advised to go home.
Molo district topped the number of violators with 220 – 208 adults and 12 minors.
La Paz district have 135; Jaro with 134; Arevalo with 133, from Arevalo; 50 from City Proper; and 40 from Mandurriao.
Meanwhile, of the 95 “disobedient” persons, 4 have already been charged while 91 are to be charged under the regular filing in court.
Thirty-six of those who will be slapped with charges are from Jaro; La Paz with 22; Mandurriao with 17; City Proper with 12; and Molo with 4.
The four persons who were already charged are all from Jaro district.
