ILOILO – Apprehend people not wearing facemasks properly? Local chief executives (LCEs) in this province are ready to implement this recent directive of President Rodrigo Duterte provided they have legal basis to do so.
While he recognizes that this would be an effective measure in disciplining the public, “wala garing basehan,” said Mayor Ronilo Caspe of Cabatuan.
Caspe said they have been enforcing the provincial ordinance requiring the use of facemask in all public places during the enhanced community quarantine.
“May provincial ordinance sa facemask so amo na basehan namon which is nagapanakop kami. Indi man automatic nga nagapangdakop but at first gina-reprimand and sa succeeding offense may corresponding penalty na,” Caspe told Panay News.
Under the provincial facemask ordinance, violators may face the following sanctions:
* first offense – reprimand
* second offense – a fine of P1,000 or imprisonment for three days, or both at the discretion of the court
* third and succeeding offenses – a fine of P2,000 or imprisonment for 10 days, or both at the discretion of the court
Cabatuan also has a Municipal COVID-19 Task Force and contact tracing team deployed in public places like market and plazas to enforce the facemask protocol, Caspe said.
For Mayor Raul Banias of Concepcion, he would wait for an executive order from the national government, particularly from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).
“Kay kon verbal directive ina basi ma-question pa man ina ang aton nga police,” Banias said in an interview with Panay News.
He added: “Sa aton provincial and municipal ordinances, kon wala ka sang facemask and ara sa public places, except kon naga-jogging, gina-apprehend…and base sa amon municipal ordinance ginapa-community service and kon second offense pamultahon, amo lang ‘na anay sundon kay ina ‘ya may legal basis.”
Banias also disclosed that most people in Concepcion are compliant with the facemask protocol.
Meanwhile, Bingawan’s Mayor Mark Palabrica deemed it right to have this directive, “especially with the rising COVID-19 cases” not only in Iloilo but in the whole country.
This would boost public discipline, he said.
“Mabudlay gid ang pag-implement sang health protocol kon waay nagasunod ang mga pumuluyo. Dapat ma-sampolan sila pero kinahanglan may dokumento kita nga gina-uyatan antes mag-implement sini,” Palabrica said.
Pending the legal basis of the order, the LGU is implementing the provincial ordinance on facemasks, the mayor added.
On the other hand, Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. reiterated the importance of wearing of facemasks and face shields in public places to curb the spread of coronavirus.
“Ang mensahe nga istriktuhon naton ang pag-implementar sang aton nga minimum public health standards. Magmaskara lang gid. Kon matipon man kita basta waay huksanay maskara wala sang ma-ano. Kon sundon nga istrikto indi kita ma-ano,” said Defensor.
The governor cited investigation of contact tracing teams wherein local transmission is acquired from social gatherings.
“Ang mga tawo ang nagatingob ukon naga-updanay kag dulolongan sa pagkaon kag ginahukas ang facemask,” he said.
He also reminded Ilonggos of the provincial ordinance enforcing such, although LGUs have various manners in implementing the protocol.
“Sa LGUs lain-lain ang ila pamaagi pero dapat istriktuhon ta gid man ‘na. We should apprehend people nga wala naga-usar sang facemask sang-ayon sa ordinance kay sa ila ‘na kaayuhan. Kon sundon ‘na nila indi kita ma-ano. It’s part of what we are doing right now nga punggan ang pag-surge sang COVID-19,” Defensor stressed.
Earlier, Duterte ordered the Philippine National Police to arrest people not wearing a facemask properly in public spaces.
“Itong mask, ‘yung iba, for compliance lang, naglalagay ng mask pero nakalabas ‘yung ilong,” Duterte said. “I-detain mo tapos imbestigahin mo siya kung bakit ganoon ang behavior nila.”/PN
