CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY (MindaNews / 31 March) – Policemen are directed today to defy local government executives following reports that checkpoints in towns and barangays were delaying the movements of trucks carrying food supplies.
Following this, Brig. Gen. Rolando Anduyan, Region 10 police chief, directed that policemen should supervise all checkpoints along the highways and roads in Northern Mindanao.
“Our police officers are directed to explain to these local governments it is illegal to delay the movement of food supplies,” said Col. Mardy Hortillosa II, PNP-10 spokesperson.
Hortillosa said complaints have reached the Northern Mindanao Anti-COVID-19 Task Force that checkpoints in towns and barangays are stopping trucks carrying food supplies to check on the drivers and their assistants.
He said these incidents have caused delays in the deliveries and have created problem in the food supplies.
“Just imagine the delay if every town and barangays in Northern Mindanao stop the trucks at their checkpoints,” Hortillosa said.
Northern Mindanao has nine cities and five provinces – Bukidnon, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental and Camiguin Island. It has 2,022 barangays.
“We cannot have all local executives carrying out their versions of quarantine measures,” Hortillosa said.
He added that special lanes were set up in the checkpoints to ensure that the trucks carrying food supplies will not be stopped.
“It is enough that the drivers and assistants will be checked at their point of origin only to prevent delays,” he said. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)