DILG urges mayors to have a unified policy on penalizing quarantine violators

The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) has urged local government units to have a unified policy in penalizing those who violated quarantine protocols such as wearing of face masks, its spokesperson said on Wednesday.

"Ito 'yung napag-usapan with the mayors noong nagkaroon ng meeting noong Monday ang IATF... Nakiusap si Secretary Año sa mga mayors na gawing uniform 'yung fines and mga penalty," DILG Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a radio interview.

Malaya said the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) is already discussing the matter.

"Iba-iba rin kasi ang panuntunan sa bawat lugar. 'Yung iba P2,000, 'yung iba P5,000, may mga P10,000 pa nga. 'Yung iba, iba rin ang araw ng pagkakakulong. We urged them already at imo-monitor 'yan ng DILG at ipapaalam sa ating mga kababayan for their guidance," he said.

This came after President Rodrigo Duterte has called on the police to arrest and subsequently detain those who will not wear a face mask amid the health crisis.

Duterte said such strict enforcement starts with local officials.

Following this, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque asked the public to wait for the ordinances to be issued regarding the matter.—AOL, GMA News