(Eagle News) — The police will be deployed to enforce the common curfew Metro Manila mayors agreed on on Thursday night amid the surge in COVID-19 cases, Paranaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez said on Friday, March 12.
In a televised briefing, Olivarez, also the Metro Manila Council chair, said border checks would take place once the common curfew from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. starts on Monday, March 15.
Olivarez said violators would be penalized, based on the sanctions specified in each ordinance passed by each city’s council.
The sanctions range from fines to detention.
Some local government units such as Quezon City and Manila have imposed localized lockdowns to curb the spread of COVID-19 in those areas.
Paranaque itself expanded its curfew hours after three South African variant cases were reported there.
The Department of Health has said the increase in cases was due to increased mobility and the failure to follow minimum health safety protocols.
It said this was exacerbated by the presence of virus variants, with the DOH reporting 52 more South African variant cases, 31 additional United Kingdom variant cases and “42 additional cases with mutations of potential clinical significance” in the Philippines.
According to the DOH, of the 52 new South African variant cases, 41 were from Metro Manila.
The additional variant cases pushed the total South African variant cases to 58, UK variant cases to 118, and cases with mutations of concern to 76.
