Sinas says PNP has no capability of monitoring social media accounts

Philippine National Police chief Police General Debold Sinas on Thursday clarified that the police force cannot monitor social media accounts as regards quarantine violations, especially this holiday season, as it has no capability of doing so.

In a television interview, Sinas said the police force has no capability yet to monitor social media accounts of the general public. What the police organization does is to act on messages or complaints that are being reported to them or those incidents that have gone viral online.

"Actually ang stand pa dati wala naman, 'yung kuwan lang namin, 'yung mga nagba-viral na ibinabato sa amin," Sinas told CNN Philippines.

"As to [the question of] monitoring ng social media, wala po kaming capability sa ngayon at opisina na nag-monitor niyan. Ang ginagawa namin, pag may nagtext, 'sir nag-viral 'to,' 'sir nagganito 'to,' 'Yun ang hinahanap at 'yun ang inaaksyunan po namin," he added.

In September, the Joint Task Force COVID Shield created a Facebook account where the netizens could directly report blatant violations of quarantine protocols.

Then JTF COVID Shield commander Police Lieutenant General Guillermo Eleazar said the account was created "to empower the people not only to help the government in the enforcement of the quarantine rules but also in protecting themselves and their community from hard headed people, who defy the protocols in observing minimum health safety standards."

Sinas has warned the public that arrests would be made if they push through with parties this Christmas despite the threat of COVID-19 pandemic. —LBG, GMA News