The PNP was ready to implement the possible hard lockdown, according to Eleazar.
On Thursday, Police General Guillermo Eleazar said that the Philippine National Police (PNP) was ready to implement the proposed hard lockdown as coronavirus cases continued to increase.
Eleazar said in a statement that the PNP will enforce the quarantine restrictions that the local government units (LGUs) and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) will implement.
“Hindi na bago sa inyong PNP ang anumang uri ng quarantine restrictions kaya makakaasa ang lahat ng aming kahandaan kung ano man ang ipag-uutos ng ating IATF at mga lokal na pamahalaan,” Eleazar said.
According to National Task Force Against COVID-19 (NTF COVID-19) deputy chief implementer and testing czar Vince Dizon, the national government was open to implementing a hard lockdown in order to prevent the spread of the more transmissible Delta COVID-19 variant.
The OCTA Research group also proposed a “circuit-breaker” lockdown in Metro Manila amidst the increasing cases of coronavirus disease.
READ ALSO: PH Government Open To Lockdown Bid Amidst Delta COVID-19 Variant Threat — Dizon
Eleazar instructed police commanders to continue imposing quarantine rules set by the Inter-Agency Task Force and to closely coordinate with local government units for possible adjustments in quarantine measures.
MMDA chairperson Benhur Abalos said that Metro Manila mayors wanted to implement stricter quarantine measures, adding that the mayors will still push for stricter measures even though the Inter-Agency Task Force already announced maintaining the general community quarantine (GCQ) in the National Capital Region.
The mayors were considering the idea of a two-week enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in order to curb increasing COVID-19 cases, only if financial assistance will be provided to affected residents.
“Mamaya magmi-meeting kami ng IATF. Haharap ulit ako to petition that… Baka akala niyo nabalewala ‘yan. No. ‘Yan pa rin ang position ng mga mayor,” Abalos said.
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