NEW POLICE CHIEF VOWS STRICTER BORDER CONTROL

June 30, 2021 – Newly installed Baguio City Police Director P Col. Glenn Lonogan vowed to be more strict in implementing entry protocols at the city’s borders following reports that some entrants had managed to evade rules.

Lonogan told the meeting of the Management Committee led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong that he will deploy more personnel to man the checkpoints to ensure that the entry rules are strictly followed.

He said that the moment he read of post about some persons able to enter without proper documents, he personally inspected the checkpoints at the major thoroughfares and alerted and reminded the personnel against being complacent in enforcing the travel policies.

He said that night, there were persons refused entry after failing to show QR code and refusing to undergo triage.

Squad teams had been stationed along Marcos Highway last weekend to augment the personnel manning the checkpoint at the busiest thoroughfare.

Also in view of the reported lapses in entry rules, the mayor directed Executive Asst. IV Althea Alberto to revise some policies particularly involving the drop-and-go and passing through travellers.

Alberto confirmed violations had been noted among drop-and-go travellers while triage requirement for passing through travellers had been requested by neighboring municipalities as added preventive measure.

Rules will be revised on this aspect.

The mayor had recently warned of another looming surge in Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the city due to increased mobility, reopening to tourists, and the threat of the more harmful Delta variant. – Aileen P. Refuerzo