Police intercepted a speeding funeral car containing three boxes of local gin hidden inside a coffin in a checkpoint in Pangasinan.
Binmaley police chief, Lt. Col. Brendon Palisoc, said Jeffrey Velasco, 23, and a resident of Barangay Talibaew, Calasiao town, was driving the hearse in a faster than usual speed, considering it was carrying a casket inside.
Palisoc said the driver even tried to avoid the quarantine checkpoint at Barangay Gayaman.
“We sensed that something was wrong because of the speed of the hearse and especially when the driver maneuvered when he saw a checkpoint,” he added.
Police chased after the funeral car until they were able to stop it at Barangay Biec this town.
“Upon inspection, we saw inside the casket three boxes of liquor (gin). Each box contains 24 bottles of gin,” Palisoc said.
The police impounded the hearse while its driver will face cases of violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code, Republic Act 11332 and RA 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.
The liquor ban is still imposed under the extended enhanced community quarantine in Pangasinan.
Police record more than 1,200 crimes against women and children amid lockdown
President Rodrigo Duterte said the police reported over 1,200 cases of violence against women and children since the lockdown started in March.
Duterte said in his latest report to Congress that PNP recorded 763 cases of crimes against women and 521 crimes against children amid the quarantine in Luzon.
“The PNP Women and Children Protection Desks are working closely with LGUs to ensure that the rights and welfare of women and children are protected during the ECQ,” Duterte said.
The Commission of Human Rights earlier called on the government to ensure abuse victims are provided with shelters if they want to leaver their homes, legal assistance, financial aid, and medical and psychological care through helpline services.
“Under [the] coronavirus regime, leaving violent relations is far more difficult and dangerous. The disease already poses a particularly grave challenge, and women and children do not deserve to suffer further, not especially in their homes,” Jacqueline De Guia, CHR spokesperson, said in April.
