The 48-hour “hard lockdown” in Sampaloc, Manila, began last night with at least 950 police officers and soldiers deployed to enforce stricter quarantine measures against COVID-19.
The lockdown started at 8 pm on April 23 and will end at 8 pm on Saturday, April 25. Sampaloc recorded the highest number of confirmed cases in the city, with a total of 106 as of Wednesday.
According to Manila Police District (MPD) director Brig. Gen. Rolando Miranda, the team of law enforcers, are from the Special Weapons and Tactics, Traffic Management Bureau, District Mobile Force Battalion, Special Operations Group, Intelligence Operations Unit, Special Mayor’s Reaction Team.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines National Capital Regional Command meanwhile sent 150 soldiers to assist the police, Miranda said.
“I am confident that the lockdown will be successful because everything had been laid down as planned. There is no reason for the residents not to cooperate,” he said.
MPD Station 4 chief Lt. Col. John Guiagui, the commanding officer, said they set up a command post at Barangay 435. Sampaloc will use four covered courts as detention facilities for arrested ECQ violators.
City hall officials said they have an ambulance on standby in case of medical emergencies.
Guiagui also said police drones were dispatched to monitor the movement of people.
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Sampaloc’ hard’ lockdown begins
During the ‘hard’ lockdown, Sampaloc residents will be prohibited from leaving their homes except for the following:
- Healthcare workers
- Police and military personnel
- Government employees
- Service workers (pharmacies, drug stores, and death care service establishments)
- Barangay officials
- Media practitioners accredited by the Presidential Communications Operations Office and the Inter-Agency Task Force.
“All other commercial, industrial, retail, institutional, and other activities not mentioned in above exemptions in the said district shall be suspended within the specified period of the shutdown,” the executive order stated.
Manila Mayor Isko Moreno has placed Sampaloc district on April 21 because of its increasing number of infected patients. It is the second area in Manila placed on total lockdown after Barangay 20 on April 14.
Mayor Isko ordered a 24-hour shutdown of Barangay 20 in Tondo after residents held boxing and bingo games amid the enhanced community quarantine in Luzon.