Sinas: Cops will arrest unruly individuals defying community quarantine

MANILA, Philippines — Police will arrest those who will be unruly in resisting the community quarantine that will be enforced in the entire Metro Manila.

“Aarestuhin (We will arrest them),” National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas said in a press conference Friday when asked what the police will do to those who will resist the order.

In an interview with reporters shortly after the press briefing, Sinas said that only those who will be “unruly” in resisting authorities will be arrested by the police.

Lt. Col. Jay Borromeo, chief legal officer of the Quezon City Police District, said that those who will violate the community quarantine will face a case for violation of Article 151 or Resistance and Disobedience to a Person in Authority under the Revised Penal Code as well as other laws that will apply to other possible violations.

President Rodrigo Duterte announced Thursday night that he is placing the entire Metro Manila under “community quarantine” to contain the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Under the community quarantine, land, domestic air, and domestic sea travel to and from Metro Manila will be suspended starting March 15 until April 14.

“To my countrymen, do not panic. Please do not be stressed to the point that you may not be able to do what you want to do,” Duterte said. “You can still do so, but we will have restrictions. There will be conditions because there is a crisis.”

Certain exemptions on the community quarantine will be imposed, but complete guidelines on these were not yet released as of posting time.