By Aaron Recuenco  Does the mandatory wearing of face masks suit well with thieves and other criminals? Police think so. As such, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is now crafting peace and order measures for the ‘new normal’ situation, which includes mandatory wearing of face masks of people whenever they go out of their homes. Maj. Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar (PHOTO FROM PIO NCRPO / FACEBOOK / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN) Lt. Gen. Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar, PNP deputy chief for Operations, said anti-crime preemptive actions are now being mapped out for criminals who may take advantage of the face mask rule to hide their identity in engaging in criminal activities. “This challenge is actually included the security measures that we are studying. We have taken into consideration this matter and even our Chief PNP (Gen. Archie Gamboa) is aware of it and wants it addressed,” said Eleazar. Since the implementation of an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), the PNP noted a 61 percent reduction in crime volume across the country. The biggest decline was reported in Luzon, with a 68 percent decrease. Eleazar said the numbers of the so-called eight focus crimes have also significantly gone down, revealing that the average focus crime during the 54-day ECQ implementation was at 58 compared to a daily average of 150 on the 54-day period before the ECQ implementation. The eight focused crimes are murder, homicide, physical injury, robbery, theft, carjacking, carnapping of motorcycle, and rape. The PNP considers the eight focus crimes as accurate indicators of the crime situation in the country. “The challenge now is how to sustain this decline,” said Eleazar. Top government officials are not inclined to recommending the extension of the ECQ when it expires on May 15. But Metro Manila mayors recommend an extension for 15 more days. Aside from Metro Manila, Central Luzon (except Aurora) and CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), Pangasinan, Albay, Cebu, Iloilo, and Davao City are still under ECQ. Eleazar, who also heads the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, said they are now preparing for the new normal law enforcement if the ECQ is lifted in most of the areas mentioned. He said that if the ECQ is lifted, security adjustments could be on police visibility as he noted that more people would be allowed to go out under the general community quarantine (GCQ). “Under GCQ, more establishments will be allowed to operate because our economy will be opened partially. This means that more people would be allowed to go out so our police visibility would be in these areas in order to strictly implement the basic rules such as wearing of face masks and physical distancing,” said Eleazar. While quarantine control points (QCPs) and dedicated control points (DCPs) will remain under GCQ, PLt.Gen. Eleazar said they are likely to ease the strict measures to avoid causing monstrous traffic jams. Instead, PLt.Gen. Eleazar said what would be intensified are mobile checkpoints and random checking of private vehicles by personnel of the Highway Patrol Group (HPG) who are also expected to deploy motorcycle-riding patrolmen. Aside from the implementation of the measures against the spread of the coronavirus, Eleazar said policemen and soldiers who would be tapped for visibility will also be on the lookout for criminal elements. He explained that renewed economic activities might embolden criminal elements to prey on victims again.