Duterte warns gov't won't follow courts on COVID-19 protocols

President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday warned that  he would not follow court orders as regards quarantine protocols, adding that the pandemic response was of the national interest.

Duterte made the remark after lawyers from Cebu urged a regional trial court to declare the national government's protocols for incoming travelers as inapplicable in the province. 

"The courts are put on notice that what we have there is a national policy. That is why came a proclamation that this pandemic is of national interest," Duterte said in his weekly Talk to the People.

"So yung mga korte hindi naman sa inyo, huwag niyo na ipalabas kasi magkakaroon ng impasse," he added.

"I don’t want to lock horns with the judiciary but there's always a time when the courts can function normally and maybe grant an injunction," Duterte said.

"But as I said they are put to notice that this time I will not obey in the management of pandemic," he added.

To recall, Cebu province's protocols call for testing of travelers upon arrival at the airport. If the traveler yields a negative result, they will be allowed to undergo home quarantine.

The national government protocols call for travelers to undergo a facility-based quarantine upon arrival. They are given an RT-PCR test on the seventh day of quarantine.

Duterte also pointed out that he disagreed with Cebu Gov. Gwen Garcia's travel protocols in the province, adding that the Department of the Interior and Local Government would decide on the matter.

"Si Gwen, she went to see me the other week, and I assure her that we are fair and I see the wisdom in her view but the overwhelming view does not agree with her," Duterte pointed out.

"I leave her fate to DILG, there are mechanics that can be put into action to compel obedience, not because we want to be as marunong but remember our decisions are based on what the medical experts say," he said.

The ordinance of the local government "cannot be higher" than the national government's policy because the COVID-19 pandemic is a national emergency, Duterte further said.

"This is not a question of justice and inequity, this is a question of survival of the nation," Duterte explained.

Hotel accommodation for returning Filipinos

Duterte ordered that the government shoulder the funds for the 10-day quarantine of returning Filipinos, who are suffering from expenses such as testing and hotel accommodation.

Specifically, he ordered the DILG and Department of Social and Welfare Department to oversee that the government must fund the accommodation for quarantine of overseas Filipino workers.

"I am ordering everybody now including the government units. 'Yung hotel nila (OFWs) babayaran ng national government. As to when, when there is money, we will do it as fast as we can," Duterte said.

Duterte said the unutilized funds from the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act or "Bayanihan 2" law may be used for returning Filipinos' expenses for quarantine.

"I understand the sentiment of OFWs, they are itching to go back home. I understand that it could be something like purgatory going home and finding yourself sequestered for ten days," Duterte said.

"Ito na lang, you know Congress appropriated so much money for Bayanihan. I think that there is may residual na naiwan it behooves upon the government to pay upon expenses of every returning Filipino. Kaya binigyan natin ang malaking pera ang Congress," he added.

Duterte said that he would make sure that government agencies complied with his directive.

"Tell Gwen, sabihin lang niya pati hotel mga motel whatever, it would not entail delay. I will see to it that it is implemented immediately. Especially the matter of expenses of sequestration," Duterte said. —NB, GMA News