Eleazar vows respect for privacy in monitoring quarantine violations

The Philippine National Police will respect privacy in monitoring quarantine violations through social media, Joint Task Force COVID Shield Commander Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said Sunday.

Interviewed on Dobol B sa News TV, Eleazar made the assurance after Bagong Alyansang Makabayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr. said the PNP is using the pandemic “to turn us into a police state.”

“Hindi natin panghihimasukan 'yung privacy nila. Sa totoo lang, wala naman tayong pakialam kung anong gagawin nila sa loob ng bahay in regard to quarantine rules and regulations,” Eleazar said.

“Mali po ‘yung parang naisip nila na panghihimasukan natin 'yung kanilang privacy. Tandaan po natin, nirerespeto po natin ‘yan,” he added.

On Saturday, JTF COVID Shield urged police commanders and their personnel to regularly monitor social media for violations of quarantine protocols.

Eleazar said netizens have been posting complaints about some violations of minimum health safety standard protocols, including mass gatherings for drinking sessions, and other forms of celebration.

Aside from this, some netizens are also uploading photos and videos of celebrations they have attended despite prohibitions under the community quarantine, according to Eleazar.

He clarified the social media monitoring will mostly apply to outdoor activities.

Eleazar noted that the police can only monitor posts that are public, viral photos and videos, as well as the complaints reported by concerned citizens through social media pages of the police. —LBG, GMA News