DOJ chief Guevarra: Law applied ‘as uniformly as possible’ on quarantine violators

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra on Wednesday said his department applies the law "as uniformly as possible" amid criticisms that most of the thousands of people arrested for quarantine violations are poor.

"I wouldn't really say that there is an inconsistent application of the rule of law. It just so happened that a greater number of those arrested came from the lower income groups and that's simply because they're the ones who were caught on the streets," he said in a virtual press conference.

"Pero at the same time, those who we may say belong to the upper income groups or people who are known in society, by and large they are also charged and prosecuted," he added.

The DOJ chief alluded to the cases of Senator Aquilino Pimentel III and of Metro Manila police chief Police Major General Debold Sinas. Both officials face complaints before the DOJ over alleged quarantine violations.

Pimentel is accused of violating his own self-quarantine for a then-suspected COVID-19 infection when he accompanied his wife to a hospital in March.

Sinas, on the other hand, celebrated his birthday through a "mañanita" last May despite a strict prohibition on mass gatherings during the enhanced community quarantine. 

"It's really a matter of perception, but kasi greater number 'yung mga tao sa masasabi natin na nasa lower income levels, 'yung mga tinatawag nating mahihirap, na nahuhuli sa mga violations, but it doesn't mean at all that there is an unfair application of the law. We apply this as uniformly as possible," Guevarra said.

Police figures show 73,438 people were arrested for alleged quarantine violations from March 17 to July 20. Police warned 118,870 others and fined another 42,412 people. — RSJ, GMA News