Guevarra: Quarantine violation may not be isolated cases, culprits criminally liable

Violators of mandatory COVID-19 quarantine protocols will face criminal charges, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra vowed Tuesday, as he suspects that the recent reported incidents were not "isolated cases."

"We suspect that these are not isolated cases," Guevarra said on Super Radyo dzBB. "This is a public health issue kaya hindi natin puwedeng balewalain [we cannot let this go unpunished]." 

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), which is under the Department of Justice (DOJ), is already looking into such incidents, Guevarra said.

In a text message to GMA News Online, Guevarra said quarantine violators are liable under the Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act or Republic Act 1132, among other civil cases

Guevarra made the warning in light of reports that at least two Filipinos returning from the United States had skipped the mandatory quarantine period, one of them eventually testing positive for COVID-19 and infecting others.

"Quarantine jumpers may be criminally charged for violation of relevant ordinances and for non-cooperation under RA 11332," Guevarra told GMA News Online.

The prohibited acts under RA 11332 include:

• unauthorized disclosure of private and confidential information pertaining to a patient’s medical condition or treatment;

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• tampering of records or intentionally providing misinformation;
• non-operation of the disease surveillance and response systems;
• non-cooperation of persons and entities that should report and/or respond to notifiable diseases or health events of public concern; and
• non-cooperation of the person or entities identified as having the notifiable disease, or affected by the health event of public concern

The same law also provides that violators face a fine of not less than P20,000 to P50,000 or imprisonment of not one month to six months, or both such fine and imprisonment, at the court's discretion.

Persons who got infected with COVID-19 by those who breached protocols may also file complaints, Guevarra said.

"They may also be sued for civil damages by persons adversely affected by their tortious conduct," he said of the violators.

On Super Radyo dzBB, Guevarra said violating quarantine protocols will not be taken lightly and that those who tolerate this will also face consequences. —KBK, GMA News