The Philippine National Police (PNP) vowed Tuesday to enforce safety recommendations around the newly identified Bogo Bay Fault in northern Cebu, which could shift or rupture in the event of a major earthquake.

Acting PNP chief Lt. Gen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. said the police are working closely with local governments to enforce the five-meter “zone of avoidance” around the fault trace, where the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) has prohibited permanent structures.

“I have directed our regional and local police units, particularly in Central Visayas, to immediately coordinate with local disaster risk reduction and management councils and implement proactive safety measures,” Nartatez said.

The five-meter zone of avoidance serves as a buffer area where construction and residential settlement are strongly discouraged due to the risk of ground rupture.

Nartatez added that police stations in Bogo City and nearby areas are tasked with assisting in information dissemination, patrolling high-risk communities, and helping enforce the safety perimeters. The PNP will deploy mobile patrols to monitor ongoing activities and deter illegal construction.

The PNP chief emphasized the agency’s close collaboration with Phivolcs and local disaster councils for community mapping and evacuation planning.

“Our role is to provide security, maintain public order during any evacuation or clearing operations, and support the enforcement of the recommended safety buffer,” he stressed. Police units across affected villages are instructed to stay highly visible and assist in risk communication campaigns to prevent public panic or misinformation.