LGU-issued quarantine passes not needed in checkpoints

FILE: Personnel of the Philippine National Police (PNP) of Dasmariñas City strictly check persons roaming around and passing through the checkpoint near the boundary of Imus and Dasmariñas in Cavite to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) on Monday (March 30, 2020). (PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan)

MANILA – There is no need for quarantine passes when passing through checkpoints, a ranking police official said Wednesday.

“Kahit ano pang mga passes na binibigay ng LGUs (local government units), Hindi yan kailangan pagdaan nila sa QCPs (quarantine control points) [No matter what type of passes are issued by the LGUs, that is not needed when they pass the QCPs],” Joint Task Force Corona Virus Shield (JTF CV Shield) commander, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar told reporters.

Eleazar made the clarification after hearing reports that LGUs are releasing quarantine passes.

He said only identification cards are needed for those classified as Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR).

Meanwhile, media workers should present their ID issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases. (IATF-EID).

“If they are not APOR, kahit pa may (quarantine pass) yan, wag padaanin [If they are not APOR, even if they have quarantine pass, don’t let them pass],” he said.

Eleazar explained that the PNP should be followed in the QCPs.

“We should implement IATF guidelines, not LGU’s,” Eleazar added.

The JTF CV Shield is the enforcement arm of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID). It is composed of the Philippine National Police, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fire Protection.

Presently, there are 49 QCPs located at the borders of Metro Manila.

The NCRPO also installed a total of 120 internal QCPs to secure the people going outside of their houses in Metro Manila.

On Tuesday, Eleazar reminded all police units to ensure that no barangay checkpoints would be set up along national highways and provincial roads across the country.

Eleazar said barangay checkpoints along national highways and provincial roads have resulted in the delay in the movement of basic commodities and also caused confusion among the people, particularly for APOR.

Based on the DILG order, Eleazar said only PNP checkpoints are allowed along national highways and provincial roads and that only police personnel are allowed to inspect cargo trucks passing along the major thoroughfares.

He said barangay checkpoints are only allowed on interior roads provided that there is prior coordination with the local police station for their set up and that those barangay checkpoints will be supervised by the local police.