24-hour curfew for Las Piñas, Muntinlupa

MANILA, Philiippines — The governments of Las Piñas and Muntinlupa have placed all barangays in their cities under a 24-hour curfew to further limit the movement of people and prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The expanded curfew hours were announced in the two cities despite a clarification from the Department of Justice (DOJ) that barangay officials in Metro Manila were not supposed to impose a schedule for when people could leave their houses to buy food and other necessities.

“The time periods set are not authorized,” Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete told reporters on Saturday.

The Las Piñas government announced on Sunday through its official Facebook page that it would immediately start imposing a whole-day curfew on all households until the lifting of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine.

Only holders of quarantine passes would be allowed to go out. Residents going out of the city for work reasons should bring with them an ID or certificate of employment.

On March 20, the Muntinlupa City Council passed City Ordinance No. 2020-074, expanding its curfew to 24 hours, saying the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew hours were not being observed by residents.

Councilor Raul Corro, the majority floor leader, however, clarified that a lone representative from every household would still be allowed to go out and buy food, medicine or engage in essential activities. They should, however, carry a quarantine pass issued by the barangay.

On Sunday, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) warned barangay officials that they could be charged, suspended and jailed for selling quarantine passes.

DILG spokesperson Jonathan Malaya said in a radio interview they had received complaints that barangays around Luzon, including Metro Manila, were taking fees for quarantine passes.

“This is wrong. This is a time of calamity, they (barangays) should be the ones giving food and assistance to our countrymen,” he stressed, adding that the barangays did not have a legal authority to exact fees for the passes.

—With reports from Jeannette I. Andrade and Dona Z. Pazzibugan