Lapu-Lapu notes big dip in protocol violators

CEBU, Philippines — The Lapu-Lapu City Police (LLCPO) has recorded a significant decrease in number of health protocol violators amidst challenges in the enforcement.

Police Colonel Arnel Banzon, LLCPO director, said that although they are still able to apprehend violators in the city, the people are more compliant with the minimum health standard protocols compared in the previous months of monitoring.

According to Banzon, they could have an average of less than a hundred violators now per week.

"Naa man gyuy mga tao nga di mopatoo, pero murag arang-arang na karon compared sa una gyud, kay karon makita naman gyud nila nga sige tag panakop, sige tag rekorida," said Banzon.

Banzon said they could also still apprehend a number of violators among minors, however, the past days this wasn't much of the problem to them.

Most of the violators were usually apprehended in the interior portions of the barangays. This has been assessed that most of the people assumed that the inner portions of the city will not be patrolled with law enforcers.

Further, Banzon said they weren't to report any establishments in the city that didn't follow the protocols.

Previously, the local government unit (LGU) of Lapu-Lapu has given the law enforcers an authority to slap a show-cause order towards establishments that would violate the health guidelines.

"Compliant gyud sila sa EO and IATF guidelines...kung naa man guro kato lang pagsugod, sa pagkakaron wala naman," said Banzon.

Currently, the border control points and quarantine control points in the city have remained in the streets.

Banzon also said that as the COVID-19 cases in the city have decreased, this has been the result of the good collaboration of the LGU and the people on the grounds.

The strict implementation of the health protocols has contributed a factor on this decrease.

As the city has also enforced a liquor ban, Banzon said that they wouldn't recommend lifting the ban anytime soon considering that this has caused transmission of the virus.

This also based on their assessment as law enforcers. — GMR  (FREEMAN)