MANILA, Philippines — Local government units (LGUs) going against the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Emerging Infectious Diseases on the imposed enhanced community quarantine over Luzon will face administrative or criminal charges, Malacañang warned Thursday.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said reports are reaching President Rodrigo Duterte that some LGUs are not following the guidelines issued by the IATF on the strict quarantine measure.
“There are reports reaching the President that certain local government units are not following the guidelines on the lockdown. And he wants that all local government units should follow all the guidelines given by the IATF,” Panelo said in an interview over dzMM.
“Yung mga [LGU] who’ll go against the guidelines will have to pay administrative charges and criminal charges. In the mind of the President, we have to survive and we are in a very critical situation.
“In other words, the national government will be calling shots because we are in a national emergency,” he further said.
The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) likewise issued the same warning earlier, saying local officials may possibly face gross negligence or insubordination charges should they defy the guidelines.
“Kailangan yung national na mismo ang sundin niyo. Kung ano yung sinabi namin sa national, gawin niyo na yun. Otherwise, mananagot kayo, yun ang sabi ni Presidente,” Panelo said.
(The national government should be obeyed. Whatever the national government said, you should follow. Otherwise, you will be responsible.)
The local government of Pasig City earlier allowed tricycles to help ferry health workers and patients with emergency medical needs despite the enhanced community quarantine in place.
The strict quarantine measure halts all forms of public transportation to limit the public’s movements and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
IATF Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles earlier said the government is not keen on allowing tricycles to operate citing the lack of space for social distancing.
Mayor Vico Sotto, however, reasoned that Pasig City is proposing that there should only be a maximum of two passengers aboard a tricycle. This way, he said, social distancing would be practiced.
But the Pasig City mayor said they would heed to the guidelines and that he is only giving the national government an idea of what they observe on the ground.