The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Monday said all police frontliners will implement stricter checkpoint operations during the two-week modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ).

In a statement, Police General Archie Gamboa said all police commanders and units were ordered to immediately establish more community checkpoints to implement the MECQ in the National Capital Region, provinces of Cavite, Rizal, Laguna, and Bulacan.

“Our police units in the field are ready to set up more checkpoints in barangays and main thoroughfares as the NCR, Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, and Bulacan revert to MECQ from August 4 to 18 heeding the call of our medical frontliners,” Gamboa said.

“We appeal to the public in areas under MECQ to stay at home,” the PNP chief said.

“This is to help our medical frontliner, police frontliner, and barangay officials who have been fighting the pandemic for five months,” he added.

Gamboa said the Joint Task Force COVID Shield will deploy enough policemen to man checkpoints to enforce MECQ guidelines set by the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF).

Under the MECQ guidelines, only one person will be authorized to go out to buy basic needs of a household. Quarantine passes will be mandatory for Authorized Persons Outside Residence (APOR), which will be presented in checkpoints.

Gamboa urged the public to fully cooperate with authorities.

“We are asking for your full cooperation to help save lives and to ease the burden of your health and police frontliners,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS