Be careful with what you post or upload in social media.
Anything you post or upload that violates the quarantine rules may be used against you.
The warning was issued by the Joint Task Force COVID Shield after noting social media posts that show blatant violations of quarantine rules
In coordination with the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Joint Task Force COVID Shield ordered all police commanders to monitor Facebook and other social media platforms for any uploaded photos and videos that may violate the existing rules on the use of face masks and face shields, and of mass gathering.
Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, commander of the JTF COVID Shield, said the purpose of the monitoring is part of the enforcement of the quarantine rules amid reports and social media posts that show blatant violation of the minimum health safety standard protocols.
Citing reports they have been receiving, Eleazar said that among the violations they usually monitor in social media is the disregard of the rules on motorcycle back-riding wherein some of the violators are law enforcers, and illegal mass gathering particularly videoke and drinking sessions.
Eleazar said violations of minimum health safety standard protocols such as mass gathering for drinking sessions and other forms of celebrations are either posted by netizens to complain of the violations or some netizens are inadvertently posting the photos and videos of the celebrations they had attended.
There are also other Facebook pages which post photos and videos of quarantine protocol violations on the streets that would be captured by Closed Circuit Television (CCTVs) and dashcams.
“The social media are full of photos, videos and pieces of evidence of hardheaded people deliberately violating the quarantine protocols. These can be used as pieces of evidence to warn, to fine, and to summon the people concerned in coordination with the barangay officials concerned,” said Eleazar.
Eleazar reminded the public that while the national government, through the National Task Force on COVID-19, has eased the restrictions on community quarantine, minimum health safety standard protocols must always be observed.
He explained that the intention is to protect the people from transmission of the coronavirus.
Once photos and videos of violations of quarantine protocols are monitored by the police, the concerned local commanders are expected to coordinate with the local government units (LGUs) to summon the people involved in the violation of the rules to explain.
Netizens who want to assist the PNP in the enforcement of the quarantine rules could tag the social media accounts of the local police stations or any police units for action. The photos and videos could also be sent to the JTF COVID Shield electronic mail address: [email protected]
Eleazar also appealed to the netizens to assist the PNP in running after the violators of quarantine protocols, even if those involved are policemen.
A day before his assumption, PNP chief Gen. Camilo Pancratius Cascolan vowed to impose discipline on any policeman who would be caught violating the quarantine protocols.
“I will see to it that everybody who imposes or implements the law shall be disciplined and should also follow the law they are implementing,” Cascolan.