By Martin Sadongdong Questions were aplenty when President Duterte announced that Metro Manila, home to 12 million people, will be placed under a "community quarantine" from March 15 to April 14 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Lockdown- Manila police conduct a dry run of a lockdown of the city of Manila, where individuals are prohibited from entering and leaving Metro Manila from March 15 to April 14, 2020 to prevent the spread of the Corona virus in the country (Photo by Ali Vicoy) Under the arrangement, land, domestic sea, and domestic air travels to and from Metro Manila will be prohibited, with a few considerations for workers who live in nearby provinces but have work in the capital region and vice versa, and the delivery of basic goods and commodities. Checkpoints to be manned by the police and military will be set up in the borders of Metro Manila to prevent the "unauthorized" entry of individuals. But how exactly will it all look like? According to 1st Lt. Arrianne Mae Bicharra, spokesperson of the military's Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR), all public utility vehicles and private cars that wish to enter or leave Metro Manila will be checked to ensure that individuals does not exhibit symptoms of the deadly respiratory disease. The body temperature of motorists and all passengers will then be checked through thermal scanning. If their temperature exceeds the normal value of 37 degrees Celsius, they will be denied entry and advised to seek medical assistance. "We will strictly impose our protocols during checkpoints, so if in case there are civilians and they have a fever or wala naman silang (or if they have no) urgent business na gagawin (to do) inside Metro Manila, the troops will inhibit them from entering the borderlines," she said. Those who will disregard the mandatory checkpoints will face serious consequences, the JTF-NCR spokesperson said. "Just in case may magtatangka po na hindi huminto sa checkpoints, may mga naka-position po tayong mga military and armored vehicles para harangan 'yung mga magpupumilit pumasok," Bicharra said. (In case someone refuses to halt at the checkpoints, we have military and armored vehicles in position to bar the way of those who try to force their way in.) "Sanctions will be imposed doon sa mga ayaw makipag-cooperate (on those who don't cooperate)," she added. Although Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra reportedly said a warrantless arrest may only be made if a person assaults, bribes, or slanders a person in authority, Metro Manila police chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas earlier said disobedient individuals may face charges for violation of Article 151 of the Revised Penal Code or resistance and disobedience to a person in authority. Further, Bicharra echoed the advice of authorities for individuals to just stay at home if they don't have any important reason to go out. Around 3,000 soldiers will augment the 40,000-strong deployment of the police to ensure the orderly implementation of the community quarantine.