“Martial-law-like” means arrest without warning- PNP chief

PNP chief Gen Archie Gamboa said that in case of “Martial-law-like” implementation of ECQ, it would mean no warning before an arrest is made.

President Rodrigo Duterte warned last week that he might be forced to impose the “martial law-like” ECQ if the violations persist.

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“Ang emphasis naman doon is implementation talaga ng rules. Pero pag sinabi namang martial law, siguro the President would like to emphasize na we really make some arrests,” he said.

(The emphasis there was really on the implementation of the rules. When he said martial law, the President would like to emphasize that we would really make some arrests.)

Gamboa further explained that of the 130,000 violators the PNP recorded, around 96,000 were simply warned and were not arrested.

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“Dito kase sa nirereport kong 130,000, around 96,000 were just warned,” the chief said.

PNP data showed that there are about 133,000 quarantine violators from March 17 to April 19.

“As a matter of fact, yung iba dito talagang finile-an ng kaso, may inquest, may regular filing, 30,000 of them,” he said.

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(As a matter of fact, some of them were filed with charges, there’s inquest and regular filing, about 30,000 of them.)

Also read: PNP chief wants more detention facilities, threatens “massive arrest”

AFP admits memo on “Martial-law-like” lockdown is legitimate

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) meanwhile said the leaked memorandum directing the military to prepare for “Martial-law-like” ECQ is legitimate.

The said memo circulated online on April 17, Friday, the same date that it was issued.

The memo was from Air Force Commanding General Lt. Gen. Allen Paredes addressed to unit commanders, directed them to “prepare for strict implementation” of what it described as an “extensive enhanced community quarantine.”

“AFP will be the over-all in-charge along roads and highways,” the order further added.

PAF spokesman Major Aris Galang defended the said memo was only a preparatory move for the AFP.

“The PAF is just anticipating any scenarios in case the President as Commander in Chief of the AFP would decide to implement his statements lately,” Galang said in a message to defense reporters.

“Per my conversation with (General Paredes), that document is an internal memo issued for the purpose of providing advance information to give guidance to personnel, in this case, the PAF,” AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said.