No harsh penalty vs. face mask policy violators —Eleazar

Police officers will not enforce harsh penalties for violation of the face mask policy, the country's new top cop Police General Guillermo Eleazar said Sunday.

Eleazar said they will bring violators to a holding area and enforce local ordinances on the mandatory wearing of face mask, such as community service or imposing fines.

"Walang karapatan na magbigay ng punishment ang opisyal. Manghuhuli lang, hindi sasaktan, hindi bibigyan ng punishment pero dadalhin natin sila sa [holding] area na hindi magkukumpulan," Eleazar said over Dobol B TV when asked about how the PNP will implement the "arrest order."

[Officials have no right to impose punishment. They will apprehend but won't hurt or punish. Violators will just be placed in a holding area.]

Earlier, President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the police to detain, arrest and investigate those who will breach the face mask policy.

"'Yung ayaw maniwala, gusto mo, ayaw mo usapan na maganda, ah di ayan hulihin mo. Imbestigahan mo. Nine hours stay in station," said Duterte in his Talk to the Nation last week.

Meanwhile, Eleazar warned the police force that he will deal with station commanders and police chiefs if harsh penalties were imposed within their jurisdiction.

"'Yung pinagpaparada, push-up, wala po yan. Kapag may ganyan, mamalasin yung mag  station commander at chief of police  na nagsasagawa ng ganyan," he pointed out. Eleazar was former chief of  Joint Task Force COVID Shield, a group of law enforcers that implemented lockdown protocols.

[Parading violators and forcing them to do push-ups is prohibited. If this happens, station commanders and chiefs of a police jurisdiction will be punished.] 

Instead of giving harsh penalties, Eleazar said, violators will also be given face masks to protect themselves from coronavirus.

Eleazar, nonetheless, reminded the public to wear face mask given that it has been more than a year since lockdown restrictions were imposed. —LBG, GMA News