The Philippine National Police (PNP) has started conducting random visits to quarantine hotels in Metro Manila following the controversy brought by a returning Filipino from the United States who allegedly skipped mandatory quarantine and even attended a party with friends.
PNP chief Gen. Dionardo Carlos the move is to ensure that returning Filipinos who are supposed to be under quarantine are indeed complying with the rules of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID).
Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año earlier tasked the PNP to conduct random and surprise inspection on quarantine hotels, as well as other business establishments after Metro Manila was placed under Alert Level 3 which was reinforced by the resolution of Metro Manila Council which restricts the movement of unvaccinated individuals.
“This will give the PNP the authority to intensify our inspection of these establishments since there is a directive from the DILG. These inspection rounds will be unannounced and shall be conducted randomly to determine which establishments are compliant with public health protocols," said Carlos.
"Let this be a warning that there is no room for complacency during this health emergency,” he added.
Based on the existing IATF guidelines, in areas under Alert Level 3, businesses can operate if their workers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. They are also allowed to cater to fully vaccinated clients or customers; and use only 30 percent capacity for indoor set-up and 50 percent capacity for outdoors or Al Fresco.
“We believe that police visibility will serve the purpose to monitor how the quarantine hotels are accommodating their guests who are required to isolate while waiting for the completion of the required number of quarantine days,” Carlos said.
Meanwhile, Carlos said the PNP is in talks with other law enforcement agencies to get to the bottom of this scheme in the wake of reports of alleged under-the-table connivance between errant guests and hotel management to make it appear that their guests strictly follow quarantine protocol but are actually skipping quarantine.