1,700 cops to man 30 checkpoints in Manila amid curfew

The Manila Police District will deploy 1,700 police officers to man 30 checkpoints throughout the city as the metro-wide curfew starts Monday night.

The curfew will be in force in the National Capital Region for two weeks in an effort to stem the rising tide of COVID-19 cases. During this period, most of the public will not be allowed outside their homes from 10 p.m. till 5 a.m., with some exceptions.

According to Jun Veneracion's report on 24 Oras on Monday, curfew violators in Manila will be brought to a covered court, where a "program" awaits them.

"Pinagaaralan namin dito sa Manila Police District kung pwede silang bigyan ng kaunting pampapawis [We at the MPD are studying whether the violators can be required to do exercises]," said MPD Director Brigadier General Leo Francisco.

After these exercises, the violators will still not be able to go home, said Mayor Isko Moreno.

"We will be putting a quarantine and you need to be tested. And you will be on the last part of the the list of pending [to be tested], so you will stay in this quarantine facility for quite some time," he said.

In addition to the curfew, six barangays will go into a four-day lockdown starting Wednesday, with the close contacts of positive cases to undergo swab testing. "We will immediately deploy the food subsidy during the course of the lockdown," said Moreno, amid residents' worry about not receiving assistance.

Moreno also ordered that all leaves filed at the MPD be cancelled, except for medical leave, to address the COVID-19 situation.

However, the MPD itself has a virus crisis, reporting 46 cases in Station 11, which is now in special lockdown. The rest of the station's 241 personnel are being tested.

The city also has COVID-19 safety marshals—deputized personnel of the Manila Traffic and Parking Bureau—who monitor whether health protocols are being observed.

As of 12 noon on Monday, Manila has 1,673 active cases and 831 deaths, as well as 28,686 recoveries. — BM, GMA News