Duterte: Lockdown possible if health protocols defied amid COVID-19 pandemic

President Rodrigo Duterte has said that he would be forced to implement a lockdown amid the COVID-19 pandemic if the public would not comply with minimum public health standards.

"There’s a sharp drop of cases, it’s because they followed the protocols. Kasi ‘pag hindi, ‘di mapipilitan again ako na to impose lockdowns and everything at magi-strikto ang gobyerno," Duterte said in a taped address aired on Tuesday.

(There’s a sharp drop of cases, it’s because they followed the protocols. Otherwise, I will be forced to impose a lockdown and implement stricter policies.)

Duterte said he did not like imposing lockdowns. He said the community quarantines were only made based on recommendations of experts.

"Hindi ako. Ako, instrumento lang ako. Hindi ako sabihin mo, “eh kasi si Duterte…” No. It’s not --- it’s not me. It’s what the government people gathering together [decide on]. I just...as a worker of government, I will just implement what I get from the task force," he said.

(Lockdowns are not on me.)

"Kasi ito ‘yong may mga tao doon na mas marunong kaysa sa akin kasi medical, lahat, nagsali-sali na, mga doctors and everything. Pag sinabi nilang lockdown, it’s not because I want to do it. Ayaw ko. It would result in hardships on our people. But these things are for your own good," he added.

(There are people who are better than me...those in the medical field.)

Asked for clarification, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said lockdown has been a stable policy, although this has since been calibrated to granular lockdowns.

"Hindi naman talaga tayo tumigil mag-lockdown. Hanggang ngayon po kasama sa ating istratehiya iyong granular or iyong localized lockdown. So kahit anong classification po naririyan po iyan ‘no, ang kapangyarihan ng mga lokal na pamahalaan na mag-resort to granular and localized lockdown," Roque said in a Palace briefing.

(We did not stop implementing lockdowns. Until now, granular lockdowns are part of policy. Regardless of quarantine classification, the local government units can implement it.) —Llanesca T. Panti/NB, GMA News