Año hits back critics of house-to-house search for mild COVID-19 patients

Published July 16, 2020 01:12 PM By ANNA FELICIA BAJO, GMA News

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año on Thursday hit back those criticizing the house-to-house search for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases.

"Unang-una, dapat sana bago sila mag-comment, alamin muna nila kung ano talaga 'yung pronouncements, ano 'yung plano ng national task force. Hindi 'yung comment lang sila nang comment, hindi naman nila naiintindihan 'yung issue," Año told Dobol B sa News TV.

Under Oplan Kalinga, local health officials, assisted by police officers, would lead the visitation of houses to search for mild COVID-19 cases and and transport them to quarantine facilities.

According to Año, this practice is in accordance with Republic Act 11332 or "An Act Providing Policies and Prescribing Procedures on Surveillance and Response to Notifiable Diseases, Epidemics, and Health Events of Public Health Concern.”

He earlier said that police officers and local officials will go house-to-house and bring COVID-19 patients to isolation facilities. He later clarified said that local health and government officials would lead the house to house and the police will only be there to assist them.

The national government has discouraged home quarantine for mild and asymptomatic COVID-19 cases to avoid further spread of the infection.

It said mild or asymptomatic COVID-19 patients should not be on home quarantine if they don't meet the three requirements of having their own room, own bathroom, and absence of vulnerable person in the house.

However, at least three senators noted that the house-to-house search for asymptomatic and mild COVID-19 cases violates the 1987 Constitution.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon has reminded the government that the pandemic does not suspend the bill of rights of the Filipinos. On the other hand, Senator Risa Hontiveros has likened the house-to-house search to the Oplan Tokhang of the police.

Meanwhile, the National Union of Peoples' Lawyers has pointed out that the house-to-house search could be prone to abuse.

The group stressed that "arming law enforcers with another tool to sow fear in our communities and trample on our rights--with a draconian Terror Law in the horizon--is worrying and disturbing."

It, instead, urged the government to apply the "find, test, treat and isolate strategy" for COVID-19 patients.—AOL, GMA News

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