Filtered By: Topstories
News

Bato defends arrest of persons violating Metro Manila community quarantine


Senator Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa defended the decision of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to arrest individuals who will violate the community quarantine imposed within Metro Manila to help abate the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In a statement, Dela Rosa, himself a former chief of the Philippine National Police, said the public must follow the orders of the government since there is a "global emergency" and it is not a time to be stubborn.

"This is a global emergency so bawal ang pasaway. Hindi ito panahon para maging pilosopo, panahon ito para maging masunurin at matulungin sa ating gobyerno. We need to sacrifice in order to survive this pandemic. It is a necessary measure," he said.

"Arrest? Yes. Detention? No. After arrest send them back home," he added.

NCRPO director Police Major General Debold Sinas said last Friday that they will arrest violators of the community quarantine if the guidelines for it are already passed and disseminated.

The community quarantine in Metro Manila, which President Rodrigo Duterte himself announced in order to help stop the spread of COVID-19, took effect at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, March 15, and will last until April 14.

As of Saturday, there were 111 cases of COVID-19 in the country, of which eight have died. —Erwin Colcol/KG, GMA News

LOADING CONTENT