Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 26) — The number of people violating home quarantine orders has gone down by half since troops were deployed to help in its implementation.
According to a report by Joint Task Force (JTF) COVID Shield on Sunday, “the presence of fully armed SAF commandos and soldiers, including armored personnel carriers, on the streets of Metro Manila and nearby areas was felt starting April 21.”
Troops were deployed to at least 10 Metro Manila public markets where violations of home quarantine were high.
More policemen and soldiers also secured areas in the provinces where similar violations occurred.
JTF COVID Shield commander PLGen. Guillermo Eleazar said there were 3,314 violators reported across the country on April 21. By April 23, only 1,585 violators were reported across the country.
The report added, “The reduction was mostly recorded in Luzon where most SAF commandos and soldiers were deployed.”
From a total of 2,313 violators reported in Luzon on April 22, the figure went down to more than half, or 1,152 violators, according to PLt.Gen. Eleazar. From April 23 up to April 25 the number of violators were below the 2,000 mark — 1,488 violators were reported on April 24, and 1,811 on April 25.
Eleazar said the drop in numbers was due to the help of SAF troopers, soldiers, as well as HPG personnel.
“We are monitoring the situation on the ground on a daily basis in order to make immediate and necessary security adjustments in any area where any increase of ECQ violators was monitored,” he added.
The deployment of troops was done after President Rodrigo Duterte expressed frustration over continuous violation of quarantine restrictions.
