BY ADRIAN STEWART CO and RUBY SILUBRICO
MANILA – Violators of quarantine measures will still be arrested even without the presence of inquest officers, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned the public.
“Tuloy pa rin ‘yung panghuhuli ng ating mga pulis. Dadamputin pa rin po sila,” said DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya, rebuffing the statement of Philippine National Police that curfew violators will no longer be subject to arrest.
Malaya added they will coordinate with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to have skeletal workforce of inquest officers as most of them are on home quarantine.
The Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), for their part, also came up with a separate statement on Saturday that violators of quarantine measures may be subject to warrantless arrest even without serious resistance.
According to PACC, this was by virtue of Republic Act No. 11332 Section 9, which prohibits non-cooperation which is punishable by one to six months of imprisonment and a fine of P20,000 to P50,000.
“To enable the authorities to effectively carry out the quarantine measures violators may be subject to a warrantless arrest, and charged under Art. 151 of the Revised Penal Code, even if there is no serious resistance” the PACC said.
“Desperate times, call for desperate measures. Uncooperative individuals cannot be allowed to have their way, and pose a serious threat to the health of the public,” it added.
Pictures of alleged curfew violators being rounded up in cages and reports of others being made to stay under the sun for long periods have been posted on social media, triggering anger from some people who said rights were being violated.
Eleazar said these reports would be investigated, adding that the PNP has continuously reminded its people not to physically harm offenders.
In Western Visayas, a total of 2, 286 curfew violators have been held across region the imposition of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) on March 20.
Based on the record of the Police Regional Office 6 (PRO-6), from March 20 to March 28, there were 2,286 were arrested in the region – of which Bacolod City has the highest number of arrest with 1,004; Iloilo City has 505; Negros Occidental followed with 442.
There were also 512 persons who were denied to enter and exit there were 243 persons arrested for social distancing and Negros Occidental topped with 113 then Bacolod City 105.
“Despite our call for the people to stay in their respective houses in order to contain COVID-19, still there’re hard-headed people who are staying along the road and roaming around without using mask,” said PRO-6 spokesperson Police Lieutenant Colonel Joem Malong.
On the other hand, Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) director, Police Colonel Eric Dampal said that the 505 who have been arrested for curfew were those who sitting down along the road others were just walking around that violate the executive order No. 55-2020 of City Mayor Jerry Treñas.
Treñas signed an EO during his pronouncement that the entire Iloilo City will be under the ECQ or lockdown in bid to stop the spread of the COVID-19
The ECQ has started on March 20 until April 14, thus all passenger jeepney and taxi are not allowed to travel and all establishments except for food chain and convenience stores.
Persons who are allowed to travel are the medical health workers, doctors and crews of delivery trucks carrying foods and water.
Out of 505 curfew violators in Iloilo City, Molo district has the highest number of violators with 163 followed by Jaro with 116.
“I am urging the people of Iloilo City to stay in their house and do not go out during curfew hours,” Dampal reiterated./PN
