DILG to reconcile LGU ordinances with Duterte’s arrest order vs. persons not wearing masks in public

The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will reconcile the ordinances passed by the local government units with President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent directive to arrest persons not wearing masks in public.

“We have to talk with the LGUs and the Philippine National Police about the presidential directive and we have to reconcile the presidential directive and the ordinances passed by the LGUs,” Interior Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in an ANC interview.

Malaya said the DILG will have to meet with the PNP to determine the parameters of Duterte’s recent order.

“I must emphasize that what is violated here are local ordinances that were issued by the local sanggunian. So we will take a look on how we can implement this directive of the president because this was just given to us last night,” he said.

The DILG official also pointed out that the LGUs impose different penalties against violators of ordinances on wearing of face masks in public places.

Currently, Malaya said arrests are only made on violators of ordinance if an individual resists or disobeys police authority.

“But in light of the President’s pronouncements, we might need to do some recalibration and make necessary preparations because if we do some arrests, we will also need to prepare our detention cells because there might be a larger number of people detained than before,” Malaya said.

While confining violators in detention cells might pose health risks, the DILG official said they will coordinate and create guidelines with the LGUs and the PNP to ensure safe and efficient implementation of Duterte’s latest directive.

These guidelines will also prevent possible abuse of police authorities, he added.

On Wednesday night, Duterte ordered the police officers to detain and investigate people who are not wearing face masks and those who are not wearing them properly in public.

He said face masks are a critical need to stop the upsurge of COVID-19 cases in the country. — Hana Bordey/RSJ, GMA News