The Quezon City government apprehended 1,743 individuals in a “one-time, big-time” joint operation conducted by the Department of Public Order and Safety, QC Police District, Task Force on Transport and Traffic Management, Task Force Disiplina, and Market Development and Administration Department, together with the city’s 142 barangays.
The violators were brought to the Quezon Memorial Circle for proper documentation and a lecture on the ordinances pertaining to minimum health protocols in the city. They were also issued Ordinance Violation Receipts (OVR) with a corresponding penalty of P300, P500, and P1,000 for the first, second and third offense respectively.
The apprehended individuals will have to pay the fine within five days. If they fail to pay within this time period, DPOS will file a case before the City Prosecutor’s Office and this will reflect on the violator’s police clearance upon application.
To ensure everyone’s safety during the operations, individuals who showed symptoms of COVID-19 such as fever, cough, colds, and difficulty of breathing will undergo swab testing. Meanwhile, the city also provided face masks, face shields and food to apprehended violators.
DPOS head Gen. Elmo San Diego (Ret.) said the city aims to intensify compliance of Quezon City residents to mandated minimum health protocols, especially now that COVID-19 cases in NCR are swiftly increasing, and the more transmissible UK and South African variants have been identified within its borders.
“By next week uulitin natin, dapat wala na tayong mahuli o kaunti na lang para maipakita natin na sumusunod ang mga taga-Quezon City,” San Diego said.
Mayor Joy Belmonte expressed her concern about the increasing COVID-19 cases and appealed to residents to follow the city ordinances on minimum health protocols to protect themselves and their families.
“Let’s not put ourselves and our loved ones at risk. Sumunod po tayo sa ipinapatupad na health protocols lalung-lalo na dahil tumataas ang kaso ng COVID-19 sa lungsod. Protektahan po natin ang ating sarili at mga tao sa paligid natin,” said Mayor Belmonte.
From March 1 to 9, the law and order cluster of QC has apprehended more than 3,000 individuals over violations on minimum health protocols that are being implemented in the city.
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