AFP ‘more than ready’ for tighter ECQ implementation

FILE: Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo. (PNA photo by Joey O. Razon)

MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Friday said it is more than ready to deploy troops to help enforce discipline and order should Filipinos continue to defy enhanced community quarantine rules.

“When directed, we are ready to take on the task of enforcing discipline and order where there is a breakdown in both and the people will not heed government’s pleas to observe community quarantine, stay at home, and when authorized to leave home, to observe physical distancing,” AFP spokesperson Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said in a statement to reporters.

This is in response to President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s warning that he would have the police and military assume enforcement and control of the enhanced community quarantine being implemented in Luzon as some Filipinos continue to ignore its protocols.

“There have been documented blatant infractions of the Bayanihan We Heal as One Act and utter disregard of the ongoing enhanced community quarantine protocols,” Arevalo said.

He added that these infractions should be stopped as failing to do so will have serious repercussions on the spread of the virus that will overwhelm the capacity of the country’s health workers and facilities.

“If the disobedience will be unabated, the gains we had in the past days that slowed down the increase in infections over time will be put to waste,” Arevalo said.

He added that the public can count on the AFP together with the Philippine National Police and other agencies of government in containing the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak.

This is attested by the fact that AFP units have been deployed in checkpoints since day one of Luzon-wide community quarantine aimed to control movements.

This is aside from the deployment of the military in three quarantine facilities to help the government quell the spread of the disease, Arevalo said.