Duterte: AFP must help enforce community quarantines vs. COVID-19

Published May 04, 2020 11:39 PM By JULIA MARI ORNEDO,GMA News

The Armed Forces of the Philippines must help the Philippine National Police enforce the rules of the community quarantines across the country to prevent the further spread of COVID-19, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday.

"Whether or not there is really a medication for COVID, it is still here, trying to, naghihintay lang yan kung sinong masakyan niyan e so importante talaga, wear masks," Duterte said in a nationally televised address.

"Ang batas is really to enforce it. Now you have the police…  Whether you like it or not, the Armed Forces must come in to help enforce a measure that is intended to protect the people and prevent the spread of the COVID any further," he added.

The president earlier threatened to impose a martial law-like system if the public continued to violate quarantine protocols.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded over 136,000 quarantine violators as of April 21, around 31,000 of whom were arrested.

The United Nations has sounded the alarm over the country’s “highly militarized” response to quarantine violators, citing reports where offenders were shot, detained, or abused.

The PNP recently said it was considering the use of tasers against “violent” rule breakers. -NB, GMA News

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