The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) on Friday said almost 500 enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) violators in Sampaloc and Tondo were arrested for disobedience.

According to NCRPO, the Manila Police District (MPD) recorded a total of 294 arrests in Tondo District 1 where 13 were for curfew violations and 281 cases of disobedience.

Sampaloc District recorded 194 cases of disobedience all of whom were later released,the MPD said.

Last Thursday, five persons including two minors were arrested for beating an Army reservist following an argument for violating curfew hours in Sampaloc.

A 48-hour “hard lockdown” was imposed in the two districts.

It was implemented in Sampaloc from from 8 p.m. of April 23, 2020 until 8 p.m. of April 25, 2020 and from 5 a.m. of May 3, 2020 until 5 a.m. of May 5, 2020 in Tondo District 1.

It was done for disease surveillance, verification, testing and rapid risk assessment of the residents in relation to COVID-19.

The Manila Police District was tasked to support the 48 hour lockdown of the city, particularly in Tondo District 1 and Sampaloc to curb the surge in the number of COVID-19 cases and flagrant ECQ protocol violation of residents there.

During the hard lockdown, all residents were prohibited from going out of their homes, except for healthcare workers, police and military personnel, government employees, service workers (pharmacies, drug stores, and death care service establishments), barangay officials and media practitioners accredited by the Presidential Communications Operations Office and the Inter-Agency Task Force.

Hence, the Manila Police District deployed 1,600 personnel with 441 personnel from Joint Task Force (JTF)- NCR and 298 personnel from Special Action Force (SAF) in strategic locations and areas for effective implementation of the hard lockdown. Ella Dionisio/DMS