A TOTAL OF 3,170 people was apprehended for various violations amid the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) due to coronavirus disease (Covid-19) from March 17 to May 15 here in the region, the police reported.
Police Brigadier General Froilan Quidilla, Police Regional Office-Zamboanga Peninsula director, said that 2,928 of the 3,170 were arrested for violation of curfew ordinance while the remaining 242 were accosted for resisting arrest and disobedience to persons in authority.
Quidilla added that 2,099 of the 2,928 violators of curfew ordinance were warned and sent home while formal charges were filed against 269 and the remaining 560 were slapped with fines.
He said the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) has the highest number of apprehensions with 1,398 violators.
The apprehension of the other units are as follows: Zamboanga del Sur Police Provincial Office, 862; Zamboanga del Norte Police Provincial Office, 386; Zamboanga Sibugay Police Provincial Office, 368; and, Isabela City Police Station, 156.
Meanwhile, Quidilla said the implementation of the ECQ in the entire region was successful amid the challenges and issues confronted by the authorities.
The region has been placed under the general community quarantine effective May 16 by the national Inter-Agency Task Force on Covid-19.
Quidilla cited public cooperation and support as well as the determination of the policemen who served as front-liners as the key factor behind the successful implementation of ECQ in the entire region.
He commended the frontliner-policemen, including local government units and force multipliers, who helped the police in enforcing the ECQ guidelines for a job well-done. (VoxPop Zamboanga)