MEMBERS of the Prevention, Restoration, Order, Beautification and Enhancement (Probe) team have apprehended 740 quarantine violators since Cebu City was placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) on Aug. 1, 2021.
Majority of the violators were apprehended for not wearing face masks or for breaking the curfew. Around 90 percent were male and of legal age.
Probe chief Raquel Arce said violators pay an administrative fine of P500. However, under the city ordinance, the penalty for the first offense is P1,500; P3,000 for the second offense; and P5,000 for the third offense or community service for at least eight hours.
Arce advised the public to follow minimum health protocols and MECQ guidelines to avoid violations and to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
In Mandaue City, the Mandaue City Police Office (MCPO) has listed 557 individuals who have violated quarantine protocols since the city was placed under MECQ also on Aug. 1.
According to Lt. Col. Mercy Villaro, MCPO information officer, they initially only took down the names of quarantine violators while they conducted Oplan Pahimangno with the help of barangay officials.
She said they will only apprehend repeat offenders for disobedience of authority.
Most of the violators didn’t wear their face masks or face shields properly, while others where found loitering outside their homes, she said, adding that they also found minors playing by the roadside.
Villaro said they admonished parents for allowing their children outside amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
She said the names of the 557 violators have been encoded in their data system so if any of them are caught violating quarantine protocols, they will be arrested.
Villaro said this is a violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code. The fine starts at P2,000 and goes up to P100,000. (MVE, KFD)