QC nabs over 1,700 protocol violators; social distancing not observed in vehicles

The Quezon City local government - during a one-time, big-time operation on Friday - rounded up more than 1,700 violators of quarantine protocols who ended up  cramped up in the vehicles, breaching social distancing rules.

In a 24 Oras report by Jun Veneracion on Friday, a man, caught without his pants, was apprehended for not wearing a mask.

Authorities also caught an ambulance driver who removed his mask while smoking, as well as a man seen with his mask pulled down to his chin while chatting.

They also nabbed a man who was retrieving water but was not wearing his mask.

"Kasi may sakit po ako, may heart failure ako eh. 'Pag nag-iigib ako nagbubuhat ako, pagka naka-face mask hirap ako huminga (I have a heart problem. Whenever I fetch water, I find it hard to breath with a mask on)," the man said.

Authorities meanwhile granted the request of a senior citizen vendor when he asked them not to arrest his son.

However, social distancing was not observed inside the vehicles that were used to transport the violators.

The violators were brought to the Quezon City Circle where they were fined P300 for the first offense, P500 for the second offense, and P1,000 for the third offense.

Quezon City local authorities caught a total of 1,740 violators as of 2 p.m. on Friday. -Jamil Santos/MDM, GMA News