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The Philippine National Police (PNP) reiterated its support for monitoring quarantine violators through social media, as it ensured that privacy will not be compromised and no immediate arrests will be made.
LtGen. Guillermo Eleazar, commander of the PNP’s Covid Shield Joint Task Force, said that some people were apparently “defying authorities with their defiance of quarantine protocols” via social media.
One example he raised was a drinking session in Cebu City, before hard closures were imposed, in which a group of people shared a glass. It was later discovered that one of the drinkers tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
In a similar situation, a police officer from the Western Visayas office, who participated in a meeting, turned out to be Covid-positive.
Eleazar’s proposal for quarantine monitoring last Saturday was met with an outcry from netizens who said the police couldn’t even sanction their own people.
They cited the case of Metro Manila Police Chief MGen. Debold Sinas, who was given a birthday party by his men last May while the region was still under strict lockdown.
Sinas has not yet been sanctioned by the PNP leadership, but charges have been brought against him and the police officers who joined the birthday party.
His case has been downplayed by several officials, including the main executor of the government’s action response against the pandemic, Carlito Gálvez Jr., who had said the incident should not be treated as a big problem.
Eleazar said that a person’s privacy would not be violated by the proposed monitoring of mass gatherings via social media.
“Let me clarify, we will not enter the privacy of our Internet users who are posting. What we will simply monitor are the flagrant violations such as drinking sessions and parties that we all know are not allowed yet, especially at this time, ”he said in a radio interview.
Eleazar also encouraged village officials to strengthen the quarantine violation reporting system.
Violators would not be arrested directly, Eleazar said, and community service would be imposed for the first offense instead.
For the second offense, a fine will be imposed and only violators who are rebellious and resist arrest will be taken to the police station.
