The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) on Monday said they will meet with the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s Joint Task Force COVID Shield to discuss tightening implementation of curfew after some residents outside of Quezon City managed to go to a community pantry.

In a radio interview, Interior Undersecretary and spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said they have to ask the PNP how these people managed to pass checkpoints even during curfew hours.

The curfew hour in the National Capital Region (NCR) is from 8pm to 5am.

“We will discuss it with JTF COVID Shield, to Brig. Gen Vera Cruz, the new JTF commander, on how we can intensify (our implementation of) curfew… How can they go out of that early and how did they arrive in Quezon City?” Malaya said.

“So maybe we need to tighten (the curfew implementation) so that we do not have a lot of curfew violations,” he added.

Malaya reminded the public that those who are living in the area where the community pantry is installed are the ones who should benefit.

Based on a news report, long lines formed in community pantries in Quezon City as early as 4am.

Malaya said community pantries should not be a super spreader event.

He said if there is no crowd control in the pantries, there could be a risk of contamination.

“It is better if we could limit (the community pantry) to our neighbors, people in the street and to the entire community only,” he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS