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‘This is not martial law’--PNP chief

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 2) The government, through Interior and Local Secretary Ronaldo Puno has imposed a curfew throughout Metro Manila, in Central Luzon (Region 3), and CALABARZON (Region 4-A).

The curfew starts 12 midnight to 5 a.m. Friday.

"We are doing this to protect the citizenry. This is not martial law,"

Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview.

Razon said the curfew would hopefully be implemented for just a day.

In a news briefing in Malacañang, Puno appealed to the public to "bear with the inconvenience" brought about by the declaration of the curfew.

He said the curfew was issued "to allow law enforcement agencies to continue their follow-up operation."

Philippine National Police Chief Avelino Razon has been directed to issue the guidelines on the curfew, Puno added.

"We would encourage everyone to cooperate with the rules and guidelines relative to this curfew," he said.

Puno said regions 3 and 4-A were included in the curfew because there were some areas here that were part of the greater Manila area.

"Police authorities want to ensure that Manila is safe and sound," he said.

Asked if there was a possibility of extending the curfew, Puno said this could be the case "if the follow up operations that would ensue will not achieve their objectives," but added that this would be reviewed on a day-to-day basis.

Puno said public transportation would not be allowed to ply in the period of curfew.

He added that those that would be in the streets during the period of curfew would be the subject of "serious scrutiny" in checkpoints that would be set-up in the three regions affected.

Puno said those that would be subjected to checkpoints should be able to present valid identification cards and should not be carrying weapons.