Arresting persons violating mask rules not a harsh move —Palace

Malacañang on Thursday justified President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive for policemen to arrest persons who violated the face mask policy amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a televised address on Wednesday night, Duterte ordered police to investigate and detain for nine hours people who have no masks or are wearing masks improperly in public places.

The Philippine National Police and Justice Department previously discouraged the arrest and filing of charges against quarantine violators, vouching for community service instead.

But presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said a violator must be apprehended before implementing the corresponding penalty.

“It’s not the penalty yet,” he said at a news conference.

Asked if the President’s latest directive was “too harsh,” Roque replied, “Certainly not.”

“We have ordinances on minimum health protocols that allow the outright apprehension [or] warrantless arrest if a crime was committed in the presence and with the full personal knowledge of the police officer," he said.

The Interior and Justice departments are currently drafting the guidelines in connection with the latest presidential directive.

“The guidelines will not add anything to the substantive aspect; only as to the procedure on arrest and detention until the filing of charges, if warranted,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told reporters.

“Nothing really special, maybe just determining the manner, time or place of booking, detention, and investigation to avoid overcrowding and avoid the very evil sought to be prevented.”

Guevarra, however, clarified that Duterte’s order “takes effect immediately even without the guidelines.”

The Commission on Human Rights, meanwhile, said disciplinary measures for violators of health protocols must be “reasonable and humane.” —LDF, GMA News