By Vanne Terrazola The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) may just aid the police in strictly enforcing quarantine and social distancing rules to prevent the COVID-19 from further spreading in communities. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) (MANILA BULLETIN) Senate President Vicente Sotto III said this Saturday, April 18, as he dismissed President Duterte's threat for a "martial law-like" military and police takeover so that people would no longer go out of their homes. Sotto said he shares Duterte's frustration over reports of violations of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and increased foot traffic in public markets and vehicles on major roads. While saying he respects the President's prerogative, the Senate leader, however, said there is no need for such a declaration and that Duterte was merely stressing the need to counter the spread of the disease. "Diinan lang, siguro ang Armed Forces baka pwedeng tulungan ang PNP (Maybe the Armed Forces could just tighten, help the Philippine National Police) . Tumulong na ipatupad ang batas (Help in implementing the law), which is the Bayanihan Heal as One Act," Sotto said in an interview over radio DWIZ. "Anong martial law pinagsasabi ng iba (What martial law are they talking about)? Hindi naman martial law 'yon, eh (That's not martial law). Ibig sabihin non, 'wag kang lalabas, stay home (It just meant that people should not go out, stay home)," he added. Senator Grace Poe, meanwhile, said Duterte was only being "very serious" in telling the public to stay home in issuing his threat. She said the current situation can already be likened to an implementation of martial law due to the increased police and military presence in checkpoints. Poe, however, noted the possible reasons for going out despite repeated appeals from authorities. "Napakahirap talagang inenforce ang isang lockdown lalo na ang enhanced community quarantine kung 'yong mga tao kailangan kumuha ng pagkain, o kailangan magtrabaho (It is really difficult to enforce a lockdown, especially an ECQ if people are scrambling for food, or are looking for ways to earn)," she said in an interview on CNN Philippines Friday. "So ang ating rekomendasyon sa ibang mga barangay, maganda sigurong magkaroon tayo ng mga nagbebenta nga basic goods...at para naman sa iba na makatanggap ng ayuda kaagad para di na maghanap ng paraan para di na lumabas ng bahay at kumita (So our recommendation to barangays is to, maybe, come up with mobile stores for basic goods and to deliver assistance immediately so people no longer have to leave their homes for food or to make a living)," she pointed out. Local government units should also act to address the crowding of markets in their jurisdictions, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said, as he observed that local officials are being lax in implementing the ECQ. “‘Yong mga mayor dapat hinuhuli 'yong mga nagkukumpol-kumpol sa palengke. (Mayors should also apprehend those who are gathering in markets),” he said. "They have to make sure na hindi ningas cogon itong ECQ natin (that this ECQ is not only effective in the beginning), dapat until the very end nag i-implement tayo ng ECQ ( that we are implementing the ECQ until the very end). Because we will lose the gains of the first ECQ if we don’t implement the policies," he stressed. Sen. Joel Villanueva also appealed to the public to heed the government's call on strict social distancing "so that we don’t have to resort to the police and the military to enforce it." He also shared in a text message, “Our police and military frontliners have already too many concerns to address. Let us help beat the virus by observing the quarantine.”