Pres. Rodrigo Duterte on Monday ordered the Philippine National Police (PNP) to continue its crackdown on individuals defying health and quarantine protocols to teach them a “a lesson for all time”.
In a taped public address aired on state-run PTV-4, the president instructed the police force to arrest all quarantine violators.
“You have to ask the police to be [stricter]. So hulihin talaga. A little shame would put them on notice forever. Sino ba naman ang gustong mahuli ka?” Duterte said.
“We don’t have any qualms in arresting people,” he said. “A simple violation of not wearing a mask and [observing] social distancing… can be a serious crime transmitting the [virus]. The theory is that you are a carrier. You should wear a mask so as not to pass on the [virus] to the other guys.”
The president stressed that the campaign has to be implemented if it is the only way to compel everyone to follow.
“There is no other way that we can prevent [COVID-19] from transferring from one person to the other, unless we obey,” Duterte said. “You want [COVID-19] slow down or stop? Wear a mask or do not go out of the house if you do not want to wear mask. ‘Yun lang. At saka ‘yung social distancing.”
His remarks came following Interior Undersecretary for Barangay Affairs Martin Diño’s proposed “shame campaign” for those who refuse to wear face masks and observe social distancing and other health protocols in place for COVID-19.
Duterte also told officials of local government units (LGUs) to exert more effort to safeguard the safety of their constituents.
As of July 20, the Department of Health reported a total of 68,898 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 23,072 recoveries and 1,835 deaths.
