MANILA – The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) said on Thursday that it will reconcile President Rodrigo Duterte’s arrest order with the ordinances passed by the local government units (LGUs) against those who violate the quarantine rules, particularly those not wearing facemasks in public.
The agency will convene with the LGUs and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure the proper implementation of Duterte’s latest directive, according to DILG undersecretary Jonathan Malaya.
“I must emphasize that what is violated here are local ordinances that were issued by the local sanggunian. So we will take a look at how we can implement this directive of the President,” Malaya told ABS-CBN News Channel.
He urged the LGUs to enforce different sanctions on those who defy the ordinances on wearing facemasks in public.
To avoid the possible health risks of confining violators in detention cells, Malaya pointed out that they will coordinate and create guidelines with the LGUs and PNP to carry out Duterte’s order efficiently and prevent the possible abuse of police authorities.
The DILG official said they will make sure that the detention cells will not be crowded to prevent transmission of coronavirus disease 2019.
During his public address on Wednesday, Duterte ordered the police to detain those not wearing facemasks in public.
Meanwhile, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that if ever the LGUs do not have ordinances on the improper wearing of facemasks and face shields as well as social distancing, the Revised Penal Code must apply./PN
