Standoff between police, residents along Lemery-Taal bypass

Tension gripped the Lemery-Taal bypass in Batangas on Thursday morning after residents blocked the road, preventing rescue vehicles and authorities from entering the area, resulting in a standoff.

According to Raffy Tima's report on Dobol B sa News TV, the incident started when policemen prevented the residents who were inside the locked down area from leaving.

A stand-off is happening at the Lemery-Taal bypass road after police officers locked down the area. Residents of Lemery and Taal who were inside the locked down area are being prevented from leaving. Now, residents are blocking the road even for rescue vehicles and authorities. pic.twitter.com/vLAZPOgs1H

— Raffy Tima (@raffytima) January 23, 2020

The bypass is not part of the 14-kilometer danger zone of Taal Volcano, which erupted on January 12.

Though the road has fissures, it is still passable and residents, until Thursday, had been using it to enter Lemery and Taal.

It was only on Thursday when police established a checkpoint in the area, according to Tima in his report. —KBK, GMA News