Following the peaceful conduct of the May 9 national and local elections, police commanders have been ordered to start refocusing their attention on normal law enforcement, especially the implementation of the minimum public health safety protocols.
This, after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-MEID) retained the Covid Alert Level 1 in Metro Manila and most parts of the country.
"With the proclamation of most of the winners in the May 9 elections, the PNP's election duty is practically over," said De Leon.
"We should now slowly shift to normal law enforcement activities, including enforcing the health safety protocols under Alert Level 1 status as mandated by the IATF," he added.
Aside from Metro Manila, 79 provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities will be placed on Alert Level 1 from May 16 to May 31. Over 160 additional cities and municipalities will remain on the same level of alert. While certain locations remain on Alert Level 2.
The Department of Health reported a few days ago that 14 people in Metro Manila and Palawan have the new Omicron sub-variant BA.2.12.1.
"The COVID-19 threat is not yet over." This is why the PNP continues to do everything it can to assist the government in suppressing its spread, which may result in another lockdown," said de Leon.
"We constantly urging the public to always observe the minimum standards of health protocols, and even if practically everyone has been completely vaccinated and boosted, we cannot be complacent about the virus," he added.