Arrest of ‘unruly’ citizens ‘a necessary measure’ – Bato dela Rosa
MANILA, Philippines — It’s a necessary measure for the members of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) to arrest individuals who will resist the community quarantine to be enforced in Metro Manila, Sen. Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said Saturday.
“This is a global emergency so troublemakers aren’t allowed,” Dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police chief himself, said in a statement, which was partly in Filipino.
“This is not the time to be a troublemaker. It’s time to follow and help our government,” he added. “We need to sacrifice in order to survive this pandemic. It is a necessary measure.”
In a press conference on Friday, NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Debold Sinas warned possible violators that they would be arrested should they defy the quarantine imposed in the entire National Capital Region.
READ: Sinas: Cops will arrest unruly individuals defying community quarantine
President Rodrigo Duterte ordered the community quarantine as cases of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country continued to soar.
READ: Metro Manila placed under ‘community quarantine’ due to COVID-19
The Philippines, so far, has 111 confirmed cases of the virus, as well as eight fatalities.
READ: Number of coronavirus cases in PH jumps to 111
Dela Rosa, however, clarified that while violators would be arrested, they will not be detained.
“Arrest? Yes. Detention? No. After arrest send them back home,” he said.
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