The Philippine National Police (PNP) clarified on Tuesday, August 10, that the shooting incident incident in Manila involving a barangay security development officer (tanod) and a man believed to have mental health problems is not connected with the enforcement fo the enforcement of the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).
PNP chief Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar said the report from the Manila Police District indicated that it was between suspect Cesar Panlaqui and victim Eduardo Geñoga who was allegedly disturbing the local residents of Tayuman Street in Tondo.
“Walang kaugnayan sa pagpapatupad ng curfew ang nangyaring insdente sa Maynila (The shooting incident in Manila has no connection with the enforcement of curfew) but just the same, we remind our personnel to always observe our protocols especially in dealing with civilians, particularly in the enforcement of the ECQ in Metro Manila and other areas,” said Eleazar.
Eleazar, however, said that he had already ordered a thorough investigation of the incident and assured the family of Geñoga of justice.
He said Panlaqui is already in police custody and will be slapped with appropriate criminal charges, icluding possible illegal possession of firearms if it would be established that his gun is a loose firearm.
Following the incident, Eleazar reminded all law enforcers of the rules of engagement and other operational procedures of the PNP, especially that thousands of policemen have been deployed to enforce the quarantine rules.
“In the enforcement of minimum public health safety standards and ECQ rules in Metro Manila, we always remind our law enforcers to observe maximum tolerance on quarantine violators," said Eleazar.
The Chief PNP also ordered police commanders to make sure that no barangay tanods would be allowed to carry guns especially in the enforcement of the quarantine rules.
Barangay tanods are among the force multipliers in the implementation of quarantine rules in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.