QUEZON CITY -- Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Police General Guillermo Lorenzo T Eleazar is discouraging a group of people that does not believe in COVID-19 vaccination to drop its plan of holding a mass action this month to protest the national government’s vaccination program

This, after some netizens informed PGen Eleazar and are seeking police action about the social media mobilization of some people who do not believe in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) for the conduct of a rally to protest the ongoing vaccination of the national government.

Nakarating sa aking kaalaman ang pang-hihimok ng ilan nating kababayan sa social media na samahan sila sa isang planong magsagawa ng malawakang protesta laban sa isinasagawang free vaccination ng ating pamahalaan,” said PGen Eleazar

“While we respect the right of the people to freedom of expression and even the decision of some people to refuse vaccination, encouraging our kababayan to do something that would compromise public health is a different matter,” he added

President Duterte earlier approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to place Metro Manila under Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) from August 6-20 in order to contain the spread of the Delta variant of the COVID-19

Part of the measure is stricter border control and the implementation of longer curfew hours, from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. in Metro Manila during the entire ECQ period

“Tinitingnan nating ngayon kung mayroong bang paglabag sa batas ang ganitong gawain para sa aming aksyon pero sana ay huwag na nating paabutin pa sa ganoong sitwasyon,” said PGen Eleazar

He stressed that the plan to stage a mass protest by anti-vaccine people will endanger public health amid the threat of the Delta variant which triggered serious public health problems in India and some parts of the world

“Hinihikayat natin ang mga kababayan nating ito na huwag nang ituloy ang kanilang plano dahil hindi natin papayagan ito lalo na sa panahon ng ECQ. Your right to hold protest actions ends when the right of the most number of our kababayan to be safe from COVID-19 starts,” the Chief PNP pointed out. (PNP)